Mudragada Padmanabham's latest threat to sit on agitation is definitely stunning many as it's exactly a month he ended his indefinite hunger strike. In fresh statement, Mudragada expressed his disappointment and alleged that the AP government has not yet started implementing its promise on welfare for Kapu community
Less than a month ago, Mudragada ended his fast unto death and then he expressed his faith on government in keeping up its promises for the development of Kapu community within six months time frame. Infact, Mudragada sent signals to TDP on his willingness to join TDP and getting into active politics by contesting from Peddapuram on the TDP plank. As the TDP didn't consider him seriously, Mudragada said to have now raising his slogan to sit on dharna.
If one closely looks at Mudragada's forty years political career, he shifted his loyalties to different political parties. Take a detailed look into Mudragada's political moves.
Mudragada was four-time MLA and one-time MP. He holds special record in switching loyalties and in fact, he's the one leader who held ministerial berths in both Telugu Desam and the Congress governments under NTR and M. Chenna Reddy leadership respectively. Started his political career as Janata Party MLA in 1978, he switched over to the TD in 1982 and won both 1983 and 1985 polls from Prathipadu Assembly constituency in East Godavari. Later, he resigned his ministerial berth in NTR cabinet and started Praja Rakshana Samiti followed by his own Telugu Nadu Party with K.E. Krishna Murty (present deputy CM of AP) and K. Jana Reddy who are now with the TD and the Congress. Subsequently, Mudragada hosted a great reception to late Rajiv Gandhi at Prathipadu in 1988 and was elected as MLA and held a ministerial berth.
After 1994 loss as MLA, he vowed not to contest from the same Prathipadu constituency. He later associated himselef with Kapunadu and then with the BJP and played a key role in the election of U.V. Krishnam Raju from Kakinada. Mudragada even attended RSS sakhas during this period. Later in 1999, he represented TD in the Lok Sabha from the same seat and lost in 2004 polls. After this defeat, he joined the Congress and lost the election in 2009 from Pithapuram. He then shifted his loyalties to Jagan's YSRC and even participated in Jagan's Odarpu yatras. Except TRS and Communist parties, Mudragada had been member of all political parties in various positions.
At a time, when his political career was almost doomed, he came up with Kapu Garjana at Tuni this took violent route by damaging public property, including burning of train Ratnachal express, setting fire to Tuni police station, bringing crores of loss to the public exchequer. This in turn brought a bad name to Kapu agitation and sidelined its prime cause. However, surprisingly, he ended his fast saying that he got 'assurances' from AP government on Kapu welfare. Many are expressing doubt on the objective of Mudragada's fast, what made him to withdraw it and his latest threat to start it again. Going by all the above, looks like Mudragada seems to be political opportunist who's timely playing up Kapu card, opine political analysts. Even Mudragada shocked Opposition YS Jagan by ending his indefinite strike dashing his hopes to topple the government.
All in all, Mudragada seems to be the quintessential Oosaravelli.