From Royalty To Politics: Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar To Debut From Mysuru (image:facebook.com/ykcwadiyar)

When the BJP released the second list, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar”s candidature was one of the many surprises. YKC Wadiyar belongs to the Mysore Royal family, and in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the party is initiating his debut on the electoral front by contesting him from Mysuru, replacing the two-term sitting MP Pratap Simha.

Wadiyar, crowned as the nominal head, “Maharaja,” of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family on May 28, 2015, in a private ceremony. The 32-year-old is active in the social sphere and was involved in different cultural and charity activities.

The US-educated Wadiyar is the grandson of Jayaramachandra Wadiyar, the 25th and last ruling maharaja of Mysore. He was adopted by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, the wife of his great-uncle, the late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. Srikantadatta was the previous head of the Wadiyar dynasty. He was involved in politics and has represented the Mysore Lok Sabha constituency four times in the 1980s and 1990s. Srikantadatta mostly remained with the Congress but also shared a brief history with the BJP.

The party decided to field Wadiyar because the royal family holds influence in the Mysuru region (south Karnataka). The family also enjoys a good reputation in the region for their contributions, including constructing the KRS dam and several educational and healthcare institutions.

Meanwhile, sitting MP Pratap Simha, who was in the news in connection with the parliament security breach that happened last year, was hopeful of retaining his seat. He believed his contribution to the constituency would count. However, the local party leaders have also apparently expressed their dissatisfaction with him for not hearing them out. Since Mysuru is chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s home turf, the saffron party considers all aspects before fielding a candidate.