Video of Simha questioning BJP’s treatment of Vokkaligas goes viral

Bengaluru: A clip, a little over three minutes long, wherein former BJP MP for Mysuru-Kodagu Pratap Simha is heard accusing his party, albeit obliquely, of marginalising leaders of the Vokkaliga community, has gone viral on social media portals. The former MP also remarks on the prominent position of the Lingayat leaders in the saffron party. 

In the clip, the veracity of which DH has been unable to verify independently, Simha is also seen expressing disappointment with incumbent Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, and Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, of having kept him in the dark about the erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion’s plans to contest the Lok Sabha elections. 

Simha pointed out that the reversal of his fortunes in the BJP was illustrative of the problem faced by Vokkaliga leaders in the party. Notwithstanding his record as an MP, and his popularity, he was not given the party ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Simha said. Attributing the denial to a ploy by a section of leaders, who played the ‘OBC’ card, to ensure Yaduveer was named the BJP candidate, Simha said, “I don’t think this can ever happen in the Lingayat-dominated seats such as Haveri, Belagavi, Shivamogga, where Lingayat leaders contest. It can only happen in a seat where a popular young and emerging Vokkaliga leader was contesting.” 

However, Simha refrained from naming any leader of the party apart from Yaduveer.