Former diplomat Dnyaneshwar Mulay may contest Lok Sabha polls

Former diplomat Dnyaneshwar Mulay, who retired from service a fortnight ago, said Thursday that he was planning to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Mulay, a 1983-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service, did not reveal which political party he was going to join, though some media reports said that he was on his way to the ruling BJP.

"Politics is one option among many options. Most likely, I will be contesting (general elections). I am looking for a proper...ultimately, I should be assured of my winnability," he told PTI on the sidelines of an event here.

Politics is not an easy game for a newcomer, Mulay said.

A newcomer like him may upset established leaders and face resistance, he added.

"I will get (bring) a new kind of politics, but there has to be a demand within the public as well as the political parties for bringing the change," he said.

Asked about his probable constituency, he declined to specify.

Speculation is rife that Mulay may contest from Hatkanangale in Kolhapur district of western Maharashtra, an area from where he hails. At present it is represented by Raju Shetti.

On whether he would join the BJP, he refused to say anything categorical, only saying "discussions are on".

As a politician, he would like to explore how to involve people in driving India's diplomacy, Mulay said, adding he wants to also look at launching a "movement of positivity".

"We need positive changes in society, we need positivity in the society," he said.