‘DKS had offered me a Congress ticket in 2023 Assembly elections’

Kumta: Former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha has reaffirmed his plans to enter State politics by contesting the Assembly elections scheduled for May 2028, expressing confidence of emerging victorious.

Speaking at a programme in Kumta in Uttara Kannada yesterday, Simha outlined his political roadmap and said his interest in State politics has steadily grown over the past three years.

He noted that he has already been actively engaging with issues in the Chamaraja Assembly Constituency in Mysuru, signalling his intent to shift focus from National to State-level politics.

Staunch RSS man

Simha also revealed that ahead of the May 2023 Assembly elections, KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar had made efforts to bring him into the Congress fold after he was denied a BJP ticket to seek re-election to Parliament for a third consecutive term.

“Shivakumar contacted me using the phone of Kunigal MLA Dr. Ranganath. He offered me a Congress ticket and even suggested that I could return to the BJP after five years. He believed that survival in politics matters above everything else,” Simha said.

However, Simha said, he rejected the offer, citing ideological reasons. “I am a staunch RSS man and I respect it like my father. Those associated with the RSS cannot align with the Congress ideology,” he asserted.

He claimed that attempts to induct him into the Congress did not stop there, with at least four Congress MLAs making repeated efforts to persuade him. “Despite sustained pressure, I chose to remain loyal to the BJP and did not yield to the overtures,” he said.

Reflecting on the political scenario at the time, Simha admitted that switching sides might have worked in his favour electorally. “Given the political climate then, I could have won the election if I had joined the Congress. I was confident that voters would have supported me in recognition of my work as an MP,” he added.

Simha said, his decision to stay with the BJP was guided by his commitment to his supporters and the youth who look up to him.

Recalling his personal journey, he said, “I come from a poor family. As a boy, I supplied milk to hotels. Today, I have built a career as a journalist and a politician. I want to inspire youngsters from similar backgrounds to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals.”