Veteran Kapu Leader Mudragada Padmanabham Passes Away at 73

Mudragada Padmanabham , veteran politician, former Union Minister, and one of the most influential leaders of the Kapu community , passed away on Tuesday evening while undergoing treatment at Sindhu Hospital in Hyderabad. He was 73 and had been battling kidney-related ailments, respiratory illness and other age-related health complications . His demise marks the end of a political journey that spanned nearly five decades , during which he emerged as a prominent legislator, social activist and the leading face of the Kapu reservation movement .

Mudragada had been admitted to the Hyderabad hospital in late June after his health deteriorated. At the time, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) State Coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy , on the directions of party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy , visited him and met the treating doctors. While there had been optimism over his recovery, his condition worsened in recent days.

According to family sources, his mortal remains are expected to be shifted to his native village, Kirlampudi in Kakinada district , where people will be able to pay their last respects before the final rites. An official funeral schedule was awaited at the time of publication.

Expressing deep grief, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy described Mudragada as a father figure and one of the party's senior-most leaders. He said the veteran politician remained committed to values throughout his public life, always placing people above positions and dedicating himself to the welfare of the poor. Calling him a symbol of self-respect, integrity and courage , Jagan said his death was an irreparable loss not only to his family but also to the YSR Congress Party and millions who admired him.

Born on January 22, 1953 , in Kirlampudi , Mudragada entered politics in 1978 , winning as a Janata Party MLA from Prathipadu . He later joined N.T. Rama Rao's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and was elected to the Assembly in 1983 and 1985 , serving as a minister in the undivided Andhra Pradesh government. During his long political career, he was also associated with the Congress , BJP , and eventually joined the YSR Congress Party in March 2024 .

A four-time MLA , former minister , and Lok Sabha MP from Kakinada (1999–2004) , Mudragada earned a reputation as a grassroots leader with a strong connect among rural communities. He was widely respected for taking principled stands, often placing public causes above political office.

More than his electoral achievements, Mudragada became synonymous with the Kapu reservation movement , leading sustained agitations demanding Backward Class (BC) status for the community. His relentless campaigns brought the issue to the forefront of Andhra Pradesh politics and made him one of the state's most influential community leaders.