Face of Andhra Kapu quota stir: Mudragada Padmanabha, who changed his name to protest Pawan Kalyan’s win
Mudragada Padmanabha, a prominent leader of the Kapu reservation movement in Andhra Pradesh, died at 73 in a Hyderabad hospital after a prolonged illness. He was instrumental in advocating for the inclusion of Kapus in the state's Backward Classes list, a demand that gained traction following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. His efforts positioned the Kapu community, which makes up 15-18% of the state's population, as a significant electoral force, although political promises for their inclusion were not fulfilled.