Prem Singh Rathore

Prem Singh Rathore is an Indian politician from Hyderabad, Telangana. He is a BJP member who formerly represented Goshamahal Assembly constituency (Maharajgunj) in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, representing as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA earlier in his career (from 1984 to 2004) as of 24 April 2024, he was appointed as Hyderabad Lok Sabha Co-ordinator (in-charge) and other surrounding constituencies.

He was BJP state Vice President and General Secretary during united Andhra Pradesh and later was City President of Hyderabad and Incharge of surrounding districts as well.

He was briefly in the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). He served as the first Chairman of Musi Riverfront Development corporation in the KCR government, a cabinet ministerial rank post.

In the 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, as a TRS candidate, Rathore lost to T. Raja Singh of the BJP.

He rejoined BJP in 2023 just before Telangana state elections. His entry into BJP helped T.Raja Singh get the swing votes in Goshamahal, which helped him significantly in securing his third term.

Political career
Rathore began his career with the Telugu Desam Party (TD), before switching to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was recommended by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a ticket from the Maharajganj constituency in Hyderabad, later known as Goshamahal Assembly constituency post-delimitation, during the 1999 elections. He secured a victory in the 1999 elections as a BJP candidate, and his tenure saw him credited with ushering in development within the constituency. From 2013 to 2016, he was the BJP City President and has been credited for making BJP win the five assembly constituencies, post resignation from BJP the party only won one seat in the 2018 elections.

In 2016, Rathore switched allegiance to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), now known as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

He left BJP citing that Party is “Selling” Tickets to newcomers and is not valuing veterans

Rathore was appointed as the chairman of the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). This position, holding a Cabinet ministerial rank, gave Rathore the responsibility of overseeing the development and beautification of the Musi riverfront.

His candidacy in the 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly election marked a significant upswing for the BRS in Goshamahal, transitioning it from a marginal presence to a notable power in the constituency.

As of 2023, he has rejoined BJP just before state elections.

Controversies
Mukesh Goud, former Minister and rival of Rathore accused him of promoting Hindutva agenda of Bal Thackeray in Hyderabad, calling him “Godfather of Hindu extremism  in Hyderabad”.

Rathore has been arrested several times, during Telangana liberation movement and also during a protest against CM YS Rajshekhar Reddy where he called him an “agent of Vatican”

In 2002, amidst a police raid targeting street vendors in Begum Bazar, Rathore was called upon by local residents for assistance. He obstructed the police from entering the lane, thereby blocking their path. This action prompted the then police commissioner of Hyderabad to personally visit the site with the intention of arresting Rathore, as other police personnel were apprehensive about confronting him. In an interview with eTV, a senior police officer remarked, "Hum Naidu sahab(erstwhile chief minister of AP) ko bhi arrest kar sakte hai par Rathoreji ko nahi, unko khauf hai Hyderabad mein" (translated: "We can even think of arresting Naidu, but even touching Rathore is on a different level").

As a result of this incident, Bandaru Dattatreya, who was a Member of Parliament, Union Minister, and senior BJP leader at that time, had to intervene and persuade Rathore to step back.

Subsequently, Rathore faced charges under IPC Section-188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) and IPC Section-283 (Danger or obstruction in a public way or line of navigation).

Rathore was also booked by police in 2013 for making threatening remarks against a Cantonment CEO officer.