Pratap Simha to file nomination papers on March 25

Pratap Simha, BJP MP, will file his nomination papers as the BJP candidate for Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency on March 25.

S.A. Ramdas, BJP MLA, said on Saturday that a rally will be taken out from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple to the Deputy Commissioner’s office at 10 a.m. R. Ashok, former Deputy Chief Minister; former Minister B. Sriramulu, and other leaders will accompany Mr. Simha when he files his papers at 12.30 p.m. on Monday.

He said the party first tasted victory in Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency during 1996 polls by securing 32% of the vote share, which went upto 33% when it bagged the seat again in 2004. After securing 35% of the vote share in 2009, the party polled 43% of the votes when Mr. Simha won during the 2014 elections. Pointing out that the earlier contests were triangular in nature, he said the coming polls would be a direct one, which will increase the BJP’s vote share further.

Reacting to former CM Siddaramaiah’s remark that Mr. Simha had made no contribution to the development of the region, Mr. Ramdas said the party had listed out the MP’s achievements in a letter to the former CM and expressed their readiness to participate in an open debate on the issue. “But we have not received any reply from Mr. Siddaramaiah so far,” he said.

BJP spokesperson Vaman Acharya, also in-charge of Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency, said it would deploy a distinct methodology to win. He said the party would work at the booth-level unlike other parties that work at mass level involving caste and community-wise meetings. Unlike other parties that work three days before polling, the BJP begins its work 100 days before polling, he added.