Lucknow: Bureaucrats, in the present times have become an integral part of the political system to the extent that the dividing line between the executive and legislature has begun to blur.
The growing affinity between the two pillars of democracy is evident from the fact that more and more bureaucrats are joining politics after their retirement — some are even floating their own political outfits.
The latest to join the ranks is Sulkhan Singh, former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), who recently announced his debut in politics with the formation of the Bundelkhand Loktantrik Party (BLP) to address the problem being faced by the Bundelkhand region.
Announcing his new party, Singh said that the problems of Bundelkhand had been long neglected by political parties.
Singh is the second IPS officer to float his own political outfit after retirement.
Two years ago, another IPS officer, Amitabh Thakur had formed his Adhikar Sena after being ‘forcibly retired’ from service.
A 1992 batch officer, Thakur was known for his political activism. His party remains unregistered but he is preparing to field candidates as independents in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Former IAS officer S.R. Darapuri became politically active after retirement from service and joined the Republican Party of India to contest polls in 2004. He forfeited his deposit but is now active in Dalit politics and is also an active social worker.
IAS officer Vijay Shankar Pandey, who wielded considerable clout in the Mayawati regime from 2007 to 2012, also opted for a stint in politics after retirement and formed the Lok Gathbandhan Party. He contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Faizabad and ended up with just a little over 2000 votes.
IAS officer Chandrapal also formed his Adarsh Samaj Party after retirement and unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Agra. He is no longer active and his party does not have any presence in state politics.
PPS officer Shailendra Singh, who made waves when he took on mafia don Mukhtar Ansari, was forced to resign when he clashed with his political bosses in 2002.
He contested one election as an independent and two as a Congress candidate but lost all of them. He has now joined the BJP.
PCS officer Baba Hardev Singh joined politics after retirement and was made state president of Rashtriya Lok Dal. Later he left the party and lost the sole election that he contested.
Interestingly, bureaucrats who joined leading political parties, instead of floating their own outfits, have proved more successful.
P.L. Punia, was one of the most powerful bureaucrats who served as principal secretary to Mulayam Singh and then Mayawati.
After retirement, he joined Congress where he held several important posts and was even sent to the Rajya Sabha.
IPS officer Brijlal joined the BJP after completing his tenure and is now a Rajya Sabha MP.
IPS officer Asem Arun took voluntary retirement from service last year to contest assembly polls on a BJP ticket and is, today, a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.
Former ED joint director, Rajeshwar Singh, also resigned from service and successfully contested the assembly elections in 2022 in the state. He won the Sarojini Nagar seat.
