Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao (4 July 1947 – 26 December 1988) was an Indian politician from Andhra Pradesh, known for his prominent role in the state's politics during the 1980s.

[3][4] His death at the age of 41 marked a pivotal moment in Andhra Pradesh's socio-political history, leaving a lasting impact on the state's politics and society.

[2] Ranga began his political career by contesting the 1981 municipal elections, with the Congress Party withdrawing its candidate to support him.

Ranga contested the Vijayawada East assembly seat in 1985 on a Congress ticket and won, defeating TDP-backed rivals.

Both Ranga and Nehru were associated with the gang violence that marked the political landscape of Vijayawada during the 1980s, a period dominated by the leadership of Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao.

In July 1988, while imprisoned on several charges, Ranga was endorsed as the leader of the Kapu movement at the Kapunadu meeting, which reportedly attracted nearly five lakh participants.

Following his release, he launched the Jana Chaitanya Yatra, a statewide tour to critique the TDP government under N. T. Rama Rao.

On 26 December 1988, Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao was assassinated in Vijayawada while on an indefinite hunger strike advocating for land distribution.

[2] His death at the age of 41 triggered widespread riots across Krishna, Guntur, and the Godavari districts, highlighting the tense political climate and the extent of his influence in the region.

[12][13] Ranga remains an iconic figure in Coastal Andhra especially among the marginalized sections and his Kapu community, particularly in Krishna, Guntur, and the Godavari districts.