Kodanda, Mudragada brush off odds, critics

While both TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram in TS and Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham in AP are being termed ‘anti-establishment’ by their critics, the two continue to go about challenging the governments in their respective states, brushing off the criticism.

Both face similar charges from the parties ruling the two states. While the TRS has been accusing Prof. Kodandaram of colluding with the main Opposition party, the Congress, Mr Padmanabham faces a similar charge in AP, of colluding with the YSR Congress.

As expected, both have denied the allegations.

While Mr Padmanabham has taken on the TD government in AP on the issue of inclusion of the Kapu community in BC list for reservations and other benefits, Prof. Kodandaram is fighting the TS government on multiple issues.

In both states, ministers and ruling party leaders have been targeting the two almost every day.

While Prof. Kodandaram is criticising the ‘anti-people’ policies of the TS people, Mr Padmanabham has been going all-out against the TD government for delaying the inclusion of Kapus in the BCs list, as promised by the TD in the 2014 elections.

Both Prof. Kodandaram and Mr Padmanabham are planning to intensify their agitations to achieve their goals. The Kapu leader has announced several agitational programmes in AP to exert pressure on the state government on Kapu reservations.

Both Prof. Kodandaram and Mr Padmanabham are getting support from the main Opposition parties in the two states, the Congress and YSRC.

“Mudragada has become AP’s Kodandaram,” summed up a TD leader.