BJP vs BJP over dome on bus shelter: Party backs ‘new-gen’ Pratap over old guard Ramdas

Senior leader Ramdas relenting to younger MP Pratap Simha is the latest sign of the BJP's generational shift ahead of the Karnataka polls.

ByMahesh M Goudar

Published Nov 28, 2022 | 8:30 AMUpdatedNov 28, 2022 | 1:46 PM

BJP vs BJP over dome on bus shelter: Party backs ‘new-gen’ Pratap over old guard Ramdas

Whether it is dropping the old guard — including senior sitting MLAs — from its list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls or appointing fresh faces for key party posts, the BJP is keen on a generational shift in its Karnataka unit.
A recent standoff between two leaders — a senior MLA SA Ramdas and younger MP Pratap Simha — over dome-shaped designs for a bus shelter in Mysuru has come as the latest example of the saffron party siding with its younger-generation leaders.
The BJP’s Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha had his way, getting the bus shelter in question reshaped.

On Sunday, 27 November, the MP shared new photos of the JSS College bus shelter showing only one dome-shaped structure instead of its original design of three domes.

The Mysuru-Kodagu MP had raked up a controversy over the bus shelter on the Mysore-Ooty National Highway earlier this month calling it a “mosque” since it had “one big dome and two smaller domes“.

Old guard loses as BJP backs young leaders

BJP leader and Krishnaraja MLA S A Ramdas expressed anguish for communalising the three-dome-shaped bus shelter in Mysuru on Sunday. (Supplied)

BJP leader and Krishnaraja MLA S A Ramdas expressed anguish for communalising the three-dome-shaped bus shelter in Mysuru on Sunday. (Supplied)

For almost two weeks the bus shelter — that falls in SA Ramdas’ constituency and was built with his consent — had been a bone of contention between the two leaders.

Finally, with the intervention of party leadership, Krishnaraja MLA SR Ramdas relented and allowed Pratap Simha to alter the bus shelter, but not before expressing disappointment over the communal colour the bus shelter was given.

A cold war was going on between Ramdas and Simha for the past month. Ramdas even met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on this matter and demanded to set up a technical committee for investigation.

At a book release ceremony, Simha said any structure that had one big dome and two small domes around it was a mosque. He also gave authorities a deadline to demolish the domes, threatening to have them bulldozed personally if they failed to do so.

Following the orders from Krishnaraja MLA S A Ramdas - the authorities concerned pulled down the two out of three domes on the bus shelter in Mysuru on Sunday. (Twitter/Pratap Simha)

Following the orders from Krishnaraja MLA S A Ramdas – the authorities concerned pulled down the two out of three domes on the bus shelter in Mysuru on Sunday. (Twitter/Pratap Simha)

“He also pressured the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to issue notice to the Mysuru City Corporation and the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL),” sources in the know of what happened behind the scenes told South First.

The MP’s statement likening the bus shelter to a mosque drew severe flak, with netizens pointing out that even the Mysuru Palace and Supreme Court have similar dome-shaped designs.

The NHAI had given a timeline of one week to demolish the controversial dome-shaped bus shelter.

Thereafter, it did not issue any statement with regard to the bus shelter.

Ramdas calls out communalisation

In what did not come as a surprise, authorities pulled down two domes on the orders of Ramdas.

Earlier, Ramdas retaliated against the controversy stoked by Simha on the bus shelter.

In order to avoid the controversy, Ramdas named not only the bus shelter as JSS College Bus Stop but also put up photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bommai, as well as that of Suttur Mutt pontiff Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Swamiji.

Ramadas also clarified in a statement that the decision to pull down two domes was to put a brake to further controversies or “possible clashes” over this bus shelter.

“In my three-decade-long political career, I have always focused on the development of the constituency instead of concentrating on religion, caste, creed or community,” he said in his statement.

Defending the original structure, Ramdas pointed out, “I find that the domes were designed similar to the Mysore Palace, which sparked controversy surrounding it. A section of people made an effort to communalise the architecture. This upset me.”

Ramdas, however, stopped short of naming Pratap Simha for fanning the issue.

BJP leadership makes Ramdas yield to Simha

“On the advice of the senior leaders in the party. I have retained only the middle dome and pulled down the remaining two domes. I do not wish to make the bus stop — constructed as a facility to help the public — turn into a place of controversy,” Ramdas said.

A senior leader of the party with roots deep in the BJP said Ramdas had no option but to yield.

“The party does not want to land in any controversy with hardly six months left for the polls. The tussle between the duo might not only give a wrong message to the party workers but also an opportunity for the Opposition to gain political mileage. The top leaders of the party have conveyed the message to Ramdas not to take the matter further,” the BJP leader told South First on the condition of anonymity.

When South First tried to contact Ramdas and Deputy Commissioner Rajendra over the phone, both were out of reach.

Simha has the last laugh

Flush with his victory in the matter, Simha thanked Deputy Commissioner and Ramdas for pulling down two domes.

“If there is a big dome in the middle of two smaller domes next to each other, it is a mosque. I thank the Deputy Commissioner, who sought time and kept his word and to MLA Ramadas for understanding the reality and bowed to the peoples’ referendum,” he tweeted.


Political analysts predict more such faceoffs on symbolism in the run-up to the 2023 Assembly polls.

Dr Sandeep Shastri, political scientist and National Coordinator of Lokniti, said, “A lot of symbolism is associated with politics. It also needs to be discussed whether domes reflect a particular religion. These kinds of debates will intensify across the state for political mileage ahead of the Assembly polls.”

Asked whether this development was an indication of the BJP siding with its younger leaders with a shift of generation in mind, Shastri pointed out that the decision did not hinge on a single factor.

“It involves multiple factors like to what extent the BJP would like to prioritise it. How does leadership act and look at this issue? It is for sure that the debate on symbolism will intensify in the run-up to the polls,” he said.

The support of the BJP’s central leadership to Simha also corresponds with the party’s poll plank of Hindutva.

A firebrand Hindutva leader, Simha has consistently run communal campaigns against minority communities.

He has also targeted Congress leaders over religious issues focused on Tipu Sultan, even getting the name of the Tipu Express train changed.