Former IAS, IPS officials battle it out in poll field

BJP, Congress and AAP, all three parties have fielded a number of retired bureaucrats to win over people

Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Apr 03 2014 | 11:15 AM IST
Politics is no longer restricted to politicians only. Nearly two dozen former IAS and IPS officials are trying their luck in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from various political parties.

Be it arch rivals BJP and Congress or newbie Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), each of them have fielded a number of retired bureaucrats to win over people.

While former Home Secretary R K Singh, a 1975-batch retired IAS Bihar cadre officer, is contesting from Arrah constituency in Bihar as BJP candidate, former Kerala Governor Nikhil Kumar, a retired 1963-batch IPS officer, is the fray from Bihar's Aurangabad parliamentary constituency on a Congress ticket.

Singh is pitted against sitting MP and Janata Dal (United) candidate Meena Singh and Kumar, who has also served as Delhi Police Commissioner, is contesting against JD(U) Sushil Kumar Singh, who represents the seat in Lok Sabha.

Another retired bureaucrat Christy Fernandez, who was secretary to former President Pratibha Patil, is trying his luck from Kerala's Ernakulam constituency.

Fernandez is a 1973-batch former IAS officer of Gujarat cadre. The constituency is represented by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prof K V Thomas. Thomas is again a candidate from Congress from the seat.

Former Army Chief General V K Singh is fighting his maiden election from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad constituency on a BJP ticket. His main rivals are Congress' Raj Babbar and AAP's Shazia Ilmi.

Ghaziabad constituency is represented in Lok Sabha by BJP chief Rajnath Singh, who is contesting the polls from Lucknow.

Interestingly two former IPS officers, who are also brothers, contesting from Rajasthan's Dausa constituency from different parties.

Harish Meena, a 1976-batch retired IPS officer, is contesting on BJP ticket against his brother Namo Narain Meena.

Namo Narain Meena, a 1969-batch retired IPS officer, is a Minister of State for Finance here. He is contesting on a Congress ticket.
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First Published: Apr 03 2014 | 10:57 AM IST

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