Mysore/Mysuru: With rumours about a possible change in BJP candidate from Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha Constituency making rounds, the Mysuru Kodava Samaja and Vokkaliga Yuva Vedike have come in support of MP Prathap Simha, who has represented the Constituency successfully for two terms.

Mysuru Kodava Samaja President Ponjanda Ganapathy, addressing the presspersons at Pathrakarthara Bhavan this morning, said that the news about Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha being overlooked by BJP High Command for the upcoming Lok Sabha was making rounds in various media. If the news about BJP trying to field an alternative candidate is true, it should immediately take a relook at its decision since Prathap Simha had performed exceedingly well in the past 10 years as an MP.

“MP Prathap Simha has been instrumental in bringing about 12 trains to Mysuru, expanding the Mysuru Airport and the runway, construction of Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway, sanctioning of Mysuru-Kushalnagar National Highway among other development projects in the past decade,” he said and added that the Mysuru-Kodagu MP had also worked towards changing Mysuru into an industrial hub and electronic city. 

Prathap Simha is among those leaders who not only stands for development but also for Hindu dharma, said Ganapathy.

Speaking on the occasion, Shree Kaveri Kodagu Mahila Sangha President Ponjanda Lovely Appaiah said that Prathap Simha was instrumental in getting development projects to Mysuru. “We want good leadership and it is our request to BJP High Command to declare Prathap Simha as the candidate from Mysuru-Kodagu LS Constituency,” she added.

Meanwhile, Zilla Vokkaligara Yuva Vedike President N. Rajkumar, who also held a separate  press meet today, expressed his confidence over Prathap Simha’s candidature from BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Stating that the news about Mysore Royal Family member Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar being given the ticket was just a rumour, Rajkumar urged the BJP High Command to clear the air adding that Prathap Simha had successfully completed two terms by implementing various development projects in his jurisdiction which no other MPs had done previously.

“BJP in the name of experiment has suffered in the previous Assembly Polls. Despite knowing the results of previous experiment, the party should not indulge in similar experiment,” he said

State Vokkaligara Sangha Director C.G. Gangadhar, Prema Shankaregowda, Suresh Gowda, Satish Gowda, Ravi Kumar and others were present.