Former minister and senior leader Mudragada Padmanabham has announced that he will be joining the YSR Congress, unconditionally. He made this announcement at his home in Kirlampudi, stating that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had invited him to join the party along with his son Giri.
Padmanabham said he was approached by MPs Midhun Reddy and Vanga Geeta, as well as Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy to join the party. He emphasized that he was not setting any conditions for his joining and that his goal was to serve the people better and support Jagan’s welfare programs and initiatives for the poor.
When asked about contesting against Pawan Kalyan from Kakinada Lok Sabha Constituency, Padmanabham stated that he had not requested tickets for himself or his son. He expressed his focus on service rather than seeking any political positions at the moment.
He scheduled March 14 as the date for officially joining the YSR Congress, starting with a rally in the morning and then joining the party in the afternoon in the presence of the Chief Minister. The venue for the joining ceremony would be decided by Jagan.
Padmanabham, known for championing the cause of the Kapu caste with a significant vote share in Andhra Pradesh, has a long history in politics. He served as an MLA from 1978 to 1994, including a stint as a minister in the N T Rama Rao Cabinet.
His joining the YSR Congress is expected to boost the party’s support in East and West Godavari districts, where he holds influence among Kapu voters.
