RAIPUR: In a setback to the BJP in Chhattisgarh ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, as many as 16 senior former officials, including a dozen retired administrative officials, who had joined the party before the Assembly polls in 2018 resigned on Wednesday. Though the actual reasons for leaving the party couldn’t be known, many felt “disillusioned” after the BJP failed to form the government in Chhattisgarh for the fourth consecutive term. According to reports, they were “unhappy” over being ignored by the party and not being offered any responsibility.
Former Director General of Police Rajeev Shrivastava, when contacted for his response, said “unavoidable reasons” left him with no option but to quit, and refused to elaborate. Others couldn’t be reached for their comments.
In a letter jointly written to the party president, the 16 former officials cited “inevitable” reasons for resigning.
Apart from Shrivastava, those who resigned included R C Sinha (ex-principal secretary), NKS Thakur (former IPS), Bimal Chand Gupta (ex-additional DG- Akashwani-Doordarshan), H K Dhagamvar (former GM-NTPC), Pradeep Mishra, Ajit Choubey and Shamsher Khan (retired deputy SPs), Bhojendra Kurre (ex-AIG) and Bansilal Kurre (ex-ASP), among others. Some of the officials are reportedly in touch with the Congress. However, there were no comments from either the BJP or the Congress over this development.