Lost to Pawan Kalyan: YSRCP leader changes name as pledged

Amaravati: Following his defeat to actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan in the recent Andhra Pradesh assembly elections, senior YSRCP leader Mudragada Padmanabham has officially changed his name to 'Padmanabha Reddy', fulfilling his vow he made during the election campaign, PTI reported.

The septuagenarian changed his name following the victory of Kalyan, the head of Janasena, from Pithapuram Assembly constituency.

In the run-up to the polls, the YSRCP leader had challenged that he would defeat Mr Kalyan.

"Nobody forced me to change my name. I have changed it off my own volition," Reddy told the media. However, he complained that the Janasena chief's fans and followers were allegedly abusing him.

"The youth who love you (Kalyan) are incessantly dropping expletive messages. In my view, this is not right. Rather than abusing, do one thing...eliminate us (all family members)," said Reddy.

Reddy, a prominent Kapu community leader and former minister, has campaigned for reservation for the Kapu community. He joined the YSRCP a few months before the elections.

Telugu Desham Party and chief Chandrababu Naidu emerged invincible in the recent polls, both state polls and Lok Sabha polls, after humiliating setbacks that his party suffered in the last elections. The veteran leader has turned around TDP, leading in 16 Lok Sabha and 130 assembly seats. The victory has placed him as the force behind his party's resurgence as well as becoming a key player in national politics, making Narendra Modi's BJP-led NDA to bank on him. Back in 2019, YSRCP, led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, gained a resounding victory, winning 151 out of 175 seats.