From Babudom To Netadom Retired IAS, IPS officers are testing political and electoral waters

Subhash Bharani, B K Shivaram, Shankar Bidari, I R Perumal, S L Gangadharappa, G A Bawa, Abdul Azeem, Baburao Mudabi, Ashok Kumar Manoli, Puttaswamy – all these names are quite familiar in the police and bureaucratic circles. Every one of them has held one or the other many important positions in the police and government till recently. But most of them are testing political and electoral waters by contesting the May 5 elections to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from one party or the other.

I R Perumal, a senior IAS officer who retired recently, is the KJP candidate from Shivajinagar constituency in Bangalore, former Assistant Commissioner of Police, G A Bawa is the Congress candidate from Chamarajpet constituency.

B K Shivaram, a retired ACP and who was terror to rowdies of Bangalore is the Congress candidate from Malleshwaram. Brother of B K Hariprasad, AICC joint general secretary, Shivaram has been active in Congress circles ever since he took voluntary retirement in 2008. A prominent personality belonging to the backward Idiga community, he is facing Dr Ashwathnarayan, sitting BJP MLA.

Puttaswamy, a retired IAS officer belonging to backward Kuruba community, is KJP candidate from Arkalgud constituency, the Vokkaliga stronghold in Hassan district. While Perumal retired as Principal Secretary of Youth Services and Sports, Puttaswamy retired as special secretary in the department of backward classes.

Subhash Bharani, who retired as DGP of Karnataka is contesting as JD (S) candidate from Gandhinagar constituency in Bangalore city. Though he is a dalit, he is testing his fortunes from general seats. Yet another familiar face of the police force, Abdul Azeem is the JD (S) candidate from Hebbal constituency. He had quit the JD (S) earlier in huff, but later rejoined it recently.

Former DG and IGP Shankar Bidari’s name was making rounds as Congress candidate from Terdala constituency in Bagalkot district, but it was not considered in the last minute. He, however, has joined the Congress.

Similarly, former KAS officer Aravind Dalawai is contesting as independent from Ramdurga constituency in Belgaum district while former ACP Lokeshwara is the KJP candidate from Tiptur constituency in Tumkur district, while another retired ACP Cheluvaraju is JD (S) candidate from Varuna constituency in Mysore district.

Though former additional chief secretary Ashok Kumar Manoli, a dalit, who retired in mid-2012, joined Congress, he, however, has not been given ticket.

What makes these retired bureaucrats and police officers to test political waters and why did they choose the party they have chosen now? Says, Perumal, “I am impressed by Yeddyurappa’s leadership qualities. I have served the people as bureaucrat for 36 years. Now let me see if I can serve the people in the field of politics. Moreover, my knowledge and experience as bureaucrat can help the political party while framing polices and schemes.”

While Bawa says that Congress was the only secular party which can provide a stable government, because of which he joined the country’s oldest party, his former colleague Abdul Azeem, however, maintains that the JD (S) of H D Deve Gowda was the real party with leadership stuff and efficacy to provide better governance. He was one time MLC from JD (S) and is now testing his fortunes to enter the lower house.

By S A Hemantha Kumar from Bengaluru