Mysore/Mysuru: City BJP leader M.K. Premkumar has challenged former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha to explain why he was denied the BJP ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha (LS) elections and to disclose who had allegedly promised him a party ticket for the 2028 Assembly polls.

Addressing a press meet yesterday, Premkumar said the BJP High Command had effectively kept Prathap Simha out of national politics by denying him a ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“Simha is claiming everywhere that he was denied the LS ticket because the BJP leadership wants him in State politics. However, neither the Party High Command nor senior leaders have made any such statement. Simha is openly declaring himself as the party’s candidate from the Chamaraja Assembly Constituency. He should clarify whether he has the support of the High Command,” Premkumar said.

Remembering party workers

He alleged that Simha had often insulted party workers when they approached him for help during his tenure as MP. “Now that he is out of favour with the High Command and has been pushed out of national politics, he suddenly seems to remember party workers,” he said.

Questioning Simha’s choice of Constituency, Premkumar said that although the former MP claims to be receiving invitations from several districts to contest the Assembly polls, he appears keen only on the Chamaraja segment.

“Simha may be apprehensive of losing his deposit if he contests from any other Constituency,”                     he alleged.

Premkumar further claimed that Simha did not campaign for BJP candidate Yaduveer Wadiyar during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

He also sought clarity on the status of the case involving youths who entered Parliament using Simha’s MP pass and triggered a smoke bomb incident during a Parliament session.

Premkumar also questioned why Simha had obtained a court stay on the release of the book ‘Kathale Jagathu’ (A dark world). “Instead of seeking a stay, he could have responded to the book publicly,” Premkumar said.

BJP leader Kumbarakoppal Kumaragowda was present at the press meet.