Retired UP top officers now start political innings

Lucknow: They dislike being called “babus”, and while in service, most of them show a disdain for “netas”. But once they retire, they make a beeline for politics.

The number of retired bureaucrats playing an active role in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is, by far, the highest. Some are contesting themselves while others are busy campaigning for their kin and parties.

Congress member of Parliament P.L. Punia, who served as principal secretary to Mulayam Singh Yadav and then Mayawati, is not only a star campaigner for his party, but is also managing his son Tanuj Punia’s campaign.

Mr Tanuj is making his political debut from Jaidpur seat in Barabanki.

Retired Indian Administrative Service officer Ram Bahadur is Bahujan Samaj Party’s candidate from Mohanlalganj. Mr Bahadur is said to be close to Ms Mayawati. He is trying his luck in elections for the first time. The BSP has asked its leaders to help him in his campaign.

Tribhuvan Ram, a retired chief engineer in the public works department, is contesting as a BSP candidate from Ajgara seat in Chandauli district. Mr Ram won in the 2012 Assembly elections.

Retired IAS officer Badal Chatterjee is contesting form Allahabad (North) seat as an Independent candidate. A former commissioner of Allahabad, Mr Chatterjee has been a popular officer.

“Some parties offered me tickets, but I rejected them because I do not approve of their style of politics. I plan to float my own party later,” he said.

Baba Hardev Singh, former president of the UP Provincial Civil Services, joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal after retirement. He was appointed state RLD president.

He contested the 2012 elections, but lost and became inactive in politics.

Former director general of police Brij Lal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party with much fanfare and was expected to contest from his home constituency in Siddharthanagar. But the party did not give him a ticket. Another former DGP, Yashpal Singh, also joined politics after retirement. He was the chief spokesman of Peace Party, but after the 2012 Assembly elections, he quietly withdrew from active politics.

Retired IAS officer Surya Pratap Singh had announced in 2015 that he would launch his own party, but that has not happened. Mr Singh’s Facebook page, however, shows his campaign against the BJP.

Former IAS officer Rai Singh, known to be Ms Mayawati’s trusted lieutenant during her first term as chief minister in 1995, is now the state president of Shromani Akali Dal in UP, and is working to expand SAD’s footprint in UP.

Former IPS officer S.R. Darapuri and former IAS officer Chandrapal had formed their own parties, but found no success.