Rajahmundry: The said inclination of former state minister, former MP and Kapunadu leader Mudragada Padmanabham towards Telugu Desam and his re-entry into active politics before the general elections attracted the attention of both the public and politicos.
The veteran leader during his four-decade political career shifted his loyalties to different outfits, at times more than one time, is much sought after leader by political parties despite these moves.
According to sources, the four-time MLA and one-time MP holds the record of holding ministerial berths in both TD and the Congress under NTR and M. Chenna Reddy. 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.
He resigned his ministerial berth in NTR cabinet and started Praja Rakshana Samiti and later his own Telugu Nadu Party with K.E. Krishna Murty and K. Jana Reddy who are now with the TD and the Congress. Later, he 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 later with the BJP and played a key role in the election of U.V. Krishnam Raju from Kakinada.
He 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.
Later, he joined the Congress and lost the election in 2009 from Pithapuram. He then shifted his loyalties to the YSRC and even participated in Jagan’s Odarpu yatras.
After keeing away for some from active politics it is said that the veteran leader was persuaded to join the TD again by some local leaders and his loyalists.
When contacted on the issue, TD leaders Yenamala Ramakrishnudu and G. Butchayya Chowdary said they were not aware of it.
However, TD East Godavari unit president N. Chinarajappa said that though Padmanabham did not approach the party, some mediators said he was willing to join the party and to contest from Peddapuram.
