Pratap Simha Who Signed Passes For Parliament Intruders Dropped, Yaduveer Wadiyar To Contest From Mysuru

The Bharatiya Janata Party made waves on Wednesday, March 13, as it released its second list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Among the surprises was the exclusion of Mysuru MP Pratap Simha from the list, replaced instead by Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, scion of the Mysuru royal family. Simha graciously extended his wishes to Yaduveer following the announcement, urging his supporters to accept the BJP's decision while acknowledging his indebtedness to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his political journey.

A former journalist who transitioned into a Member of Parliament, Prathap Simha had previously represented the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency, clinching victory in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

It's worth noting that the Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP have forged an alliance to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

Reports suggest that Simha's failure to garner support from local party leaders and his strained relationship with senior BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa, a member of the BJP Parliamentary Board, were significant factors contributing to his omission from the list of candidates for the 2024 LS polls.

Simha had previously highlighted the historical electoral pattern in Mysuru Lok Sabha elections, noting that since 1989, no sitting MPs had secured re-election. He pointed out that even former scion of the Mysuru Royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, faced defeat in the Mysuru parliamentary election in 1991 and subsequently secured third place in the 2004 election.

Responding to allegations that he failed to groom leaders in Mysuru, Simha refuted, stating, "The BJP nominees lost Assembly elections in Mysuru district in 2023 owing to their mistakes and negligent attitude." He credited himself for the growth of the BJP's presence in Mysore City Corporation, noting an increase from 13 to 23 corporators during his tenure.

Simha emphasized his efforts in Mysuru's development, citing achievements such as the introduction of 13 trains, the upgrade of the Mysuru-Bengaluru National Highway, and the implementation of the outer peripheral ring road during his tenure as an MP. He also expressed gratitude to then Mysuru district in-charge Minister V. Somanna for his mentorship.