Meet Yaduveer Wadiyar: The 32-Year-Old 'King' Contesting For BJP In Mysuru

The Bharatiya Janata Party's lineup for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka sees significant changes, notably with the nomination of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar for the Mysuru-Kodagu constituency. Yaduveer, the scion of the erstwhile royal Mysuru family, has long been speculated to enter politics, and the BJP has now confirmed his candidacy.

Who is Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar?

At 32 years old, Yaduveer is the grandson of Jayaramachandra Wadiyar, the 25th and final ruling maharaja of Mysore. He was adopted by Promoda Devi Wadiyar, the wife of his uncle Srikanthdatta Wadiyar, who played a pivotal role in his upbringing. Yaduveer received his education at Bengaluru's Vidyanikethan School before pursuing higher studies at the University of Massachusetts in the USA, where he earned a degree in English literature and Economics. This marks Yaduveer's debut in electoral politics, with the BJP entrusting him to represent the crucial Mysuru region, where the royal family enjoys significant respect.

Yaduveer's uncle, Srikanthdatta Wadiyar, had previously contested from Mysuru on a Congress ticket and won four times from the same Lok Sabha seat. However, he faced defeats in 1991 when he contested on a BJP ticket and in 2003 on a Congress ticket. Meanwhile, Pratap Simha, the incumbent MP for the Mysuru-Kodagu seat, failed to secure re-election in this region. Despite his optimism stemming from the work he had accomplished for his constituency, Simha expressed readiness to support whoever the BJP fields in the Mysuru-Kodagu constituency.

Following the announcement of the candidate list, Simha reached out to Yaduveer, extending his congratulations. "I offered my best wishes to Yaduveer, who will be contesting from Mysuru-Kodagu. I will commence campaigning for the BJP in the coming days," he stated.