Civil servants resign to fight polls in Jharkhand

Politics seems to be attracting several bureaucrats and police officers in Jharkhand. Many Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officials have quit their jobs in the last few months to join politics.

Vimal Kriti Singh, a principal secretary rank official, has applied for voluntary retirement.

Sources close to Singh, who hails from Bihar's Siwan district, said he may fight the Lok Sabha election from his home district.

Singh, however, has neither admitted nor denied joining politics.

"My option to contest the Lok Sabha polls is open. I have not decided which party to join and from where to contest. I make it clear that I will fight from Jharkhand," he said.

"I am a lawyer and I will open a law firm in New Delhi," the former official added.

Arun Oraon, an IPS officer of inspector general rank, has also applied for voluntary retirement.

Oraon, who hails from Jharkhand, is from the Punjab cadre and was here on a five-year deputation. His wife Geeta Sri Oraon is Jharkhand education minister.

Oraon's father Bandi Oraon was also an IPS official who quit his job and later became a legislator.

Sources close to Arun Oraon said he may also fight the Lok Sabha poll from Lohardagga constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

Another IPS officer, Amitabh Chaudhary of additional director general of police rank, and president of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), took voluntary retirement last year to join politics.

He wants to contest the general election from Ranchi on a BJP ticket.

Civil servants quitting their jobs to join politics is not new in Jharkhand.

Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha was also an IAS officer.

Rameshwar Oraon, an IPS officer of additional director general of police rank, quit his job before the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, and was elected to the lower house on a Congress ticket from Lohardagaa seat. He later became a minister.

Another retired director general of police V.D. Ram has joined the BJP and may contest the assembly polls from Kanke constituency.