Former Andhra minister, Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham passes away
Amaravati, July 14
Former Andhra Pradesh minister and YSR Congress Party leader Mudragada Padmanabham passed away on Tuesday, following brief illness. He was 73.
A prominent leader of the Kapu community, the former MP breathed his last at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Tuesday evening.
Born in Kirlampudi in the combined East Godavari district on January 22, 1953, he entered active politics in 1977 and was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1978 from Prathipadu on a Jana Party ticket.
Mudragada joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) when it was floated by actor-turned politician N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) in 1982. He was elected as MLA in 1983, 1985 and 1989. He served as a minister in the Cabinet of N. T. Rama Rao between 1985 and 1988.
Later, he resigned as the minister and also quit the TDP and floated Praja Rakshana Samithi. He had also founded the Telugu Nadu Party.
After rejoining TDP, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kakinada in 1999.
He led the movement for reservation for the Kapu community and also undertook a hunger strike, demanding Backward Class status for the community.
The former minister joined the YSR Congress Party before the 2024 elections.
Leaders cutting across party lines in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have condoled the demise of Mudragada.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan expressed their condolences.
Pawan Kalyan noted that elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1978, he went on to represent the people in the Legislative Assembly four times and was elected to the Lok Sabha once from the Kakinada constituency.
Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed profound grief over the sudden demise of senior leader Mudragada Padmanabham.
Speaking to his son, Giribabu, over the phone, Y.S. Jagan conveyed his heartfelt condolences and said the news of Mudragada Padmanabham's passing had deeply saddened and shocked him. He urged Giribabu and the bereaved family to remain strong during this difficult time.
Y.S. Jagan said Mudragada Padmanabham's dedicated service to the people would always be remembered and that his contributions would remain an enduring legacy. He prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace and extended his deepest sympathies to the bereaved family during this hour of grief.
— IANS
Reader Comments
A political chameleon who kept changing parties — from Jana Party to TDP to his own party and finally YSRCP. But credit where it's due, he never gave up on the Kapu reservation demand. That consistency deserves respect.
He was a true son of the soil. From Kirlampudi village to state minister and MP, his journey was an inspiration. But his greatest legacy is the Kapu movement — thousands of families look up to him. Om Shanti.
I'm not from AP, but I remember reading about his 2015 hunger strike that lasted 39 days. That took incredible stamina and commitment. Politics aside, the man had conviction. Condolences to his family and followers.
Very sad. My father used to say he was one of the few leaders who actually lived among the people he represented. Not just a Kapu leader but a leader for all backward communities. May his soul rest in peace.
I'm a Telugu student in the US and this news hit hard. My grandparents in Kakinada always spoke highly of his work for farmers and the Kapu community. His political journey shows the messy but beautiful reality of Indian democracy. 🙏
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