Amaravati, July 14 (IANS) 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

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