The decision of veteran Kapu leader and former minister Mudragada Padmanabham to postpone his plans to join the YSR Congress party by a couple of days has stirred discussion in political circles.
Originally, Mudragada was scheduled to join the YSRCP in the presence of party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at the latter’s camp office in Tadepalli on Thursday.
Initially, he planned to lead a procession of around 10,000 followers to Tadepalli and urged them to arrange their own travel and food. However, on Wednesday, he announced that he would join the party on Friday or Saturday alone.
He cited lack of permission from the police authorities to bring such a large crowd to Tadepalli due to security reasons and the impracticality of screening each individual at the camp office.
Sources suggest that the YSRCP leadership preferred Mudragada's joining to be a simple affair, without any grand show. Allegedly, a message was conveyed to him indicating that Jagan does not welcome leaders seeking to portray themselves as prominent figures.
This setback has disappointed Mudragada, who had hoped to mobilize a large number of Kapu followers in support of the YSRCP, particularly in East Godavari and Konaseema districts.
Additionally, Mudragada is yet to secure an appointment with Jagan, who is currently occupied with finalizing the list of candidates for the assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Jagan is scheduled to visit Idupulapaya on Saturday to pay respects to his father YSR before releasing the list, making it likely that he may meet Mudragada on Friday, according to sources.
