The Andhra Pradesh elections recently became a trying phase for the YSR Congress Party, or YSRCP, which could manage to win only 11 seats, thus inflicting a severe jolt on the ruling party. Many senior leaders, such as former ministers, lost their seats and had to resign. Several ex-ministers, former MLAs, and other top leaders resigned following this. Now, there is a leadership vacuum in many constituencies.
YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a comprehensive review across districts in response to this setback. The party is undergoing a major overhaul, with new leaders being appointed and constituency in-charges being reshuffled to revitalize its presence at the grassroots level.
Other such notable decisions include the appointment of Mudragada Giri, son of the veteran politician Mudragada Padmanabham, as the coordinator for the Prathipadu Assembly constituency in Kakinada district. The central office of the YSRCP officially made the announcement that underlines Jagan’s reinvigorating the party in core areas.
Mudragada Padmanabham Political Background
Mudragada Padmanabham is a political veteran who has played decisive roles both in the Telugu Desam Party and Congress over his long, illustrious career. Having now stepped away from active politics, between 2014 and 2019 he became the face of the Kapu reservation movement. His campaign for Kapu rights and writing letters to the then-chief minister Chandrababu Naidu meant that during his break from politics, his face remained a familiar one in public spaces.
Mudragada decided to enter the political arena ahead of the 2024 elections. There were many speculations regarding his joining the Jana Sena Party, but he chose to ally with the YSRCP. He did not contest the elections but was quite active in supporting the party’s efforts in the Pithapuram constituency, as part of its campaign strategy.
What was interesting, however, was Mudragada’s bold declaration that he would change his name to “Mudragada Padmanabham Reddy” if Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan emerged victorious in Pithapuram. After Pawan Kalyan won, Mudragada, on his word, took the new name formally.
Succession in Prathipadu Leadership
Prathipadu constituency has seen very sharp political shifts in this long journey. In the elections of 2014, Varupula Subbarao, YSRCP, won, who later defected to the TDP. In 2019, TDP put forward Varupula Raja and he lost. So, before the approaching 2024 elections, Varupula Subbarao came back to YSRCP and the party nominated Subbarao instead of previous Parvatha Poornachandra Prasad from YSRCP, so, Subbarao got a defeat by the hands of Varupula Satyaprabha from the TDP.
In the wake of this setback, YSRCP has now assigned Mudragada Giri to rebuild the party’s footprint in Prathipadu. His assignment is considered a strategic move for reviving the constituency and bolstering the party’s grassroots connect.
The Road Ahead for YSRCP
Mudragada Giri’s elevation as Prathipadu coordinator underscores YSRCP’s commitment to adapting to changing political dynamics. With Jagan Mohan Reddy at the helm, the party is making calculated efforts to reclaim its lost ground and emerge stronger in the future. As the party restructures its leadership and strategy, all eyes will be on how these changes shape its political fortunes in Andhra Pradesh.