‘There are achievers in every party and no one should raise objections due to party affiliation’

Mysuru: Even as the proposal to rename KRS Road (Princess Road) has ignited intense discussions, with calls to preserve the historical and cultural heritage linked to the Princesses and the Wadiyars, former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha has staunchly defended the move.

Simha’s support for renaming the road after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has caught many by surprise, particularly given the strong opposition from State BJP leaders.

Simha, who has aligned with the faction led by disgruntled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, addressed media persons in Mysuru yesterday. He countered criticism of the proposal, questioning what was wrong with naming the road after Siddaramaiah while highlighting his significant contributions to the development of Mysuru.

“It was during Siddaramaiah’s first term as Chief Minister that the Jayadeva Hospital was established, followed by a Super Speciality Hospital and Raja Marga,” Pratap Simha explained, justifying the decision to rename the road.

“He is the son of Mysuru and although I oppose him ideologically, I support this move,” Simha emphasised. Siddaramaiah, who has held power for two consecutive terms with overwhelming majorities, has made substantial contributions over 40 years of service in Vidhana Soudha, making this a welcome step by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC).

Prathap Simha dismissed objections to the proposal as baseless, suggesting that achievements are not exclusive to BJP alone. “There are achievers in every party, and no one should raise objections due to party affiliation and insult just for the sake of opposing,”  he asserted.

He further pointed out that the names of Maharajas of Mysore are prominent throughout the Mysuru region, and several leaders have contributed significantly to the city’s progress beyond the royal legacy.

“If Sir M. Visvesvaraya hadn’t contributed, would it have been possible to build the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam? Similarly, if Sir Mirza Ismail wasn’t there, could electricity have been provided to Bangalore (now Bengaluru)?” Simha questioned.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R. Ashok, has also voiced opposition to the renaming. However, former Chief Minister and present Haveri MP Basavaraj Bommai has supported Simha’s stance, stirring discussions among party leaders.