CHANDIGARH: Bureaucrats, police officers and retired government employees are in the thick of things in Punjab elections.
Results, however, show that these candidates do not usually fare well. In 2017, around a dozen civil and police officers contested, but only four won — Kuldeep Singh Vaid, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, SL Kler and Som Parkash. Parkash resigned as MLA later and fought Lok Sabha polls. He is presently a Union minister. In 2012, seven officers contested and three had won.
Still, a number of former government employees are in the fray this time. Former IPS officer Iqbal Singh Lalpura is BJP’s candidate from Ropar. Former IGP Surinder Singh Sodhi is AAP’s choice from Jalandhar (Cantt). The MLA from this seat is hockey star Pargat Singh, who had retired as superintendent of police.
Former IGP Kuwar Vijay Partap Singh, who took premature retirement last year, is the AAP candidate from Amritsar (North). “I have entered electoral politics to bring about a political revolution. Our democracy has been hijacked by the political class,” he said.
Former DCP Balkar Singh is AAP’s man from Kartarpur. Another former police officer, Sajjan Singh Cheema is AAP’s choice from Sultanpur Lodhi.
Among IAS officers, Jagmohan Singh Raju is BJP’s candidate from Amritsar (East), where state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu and SAD’s Bikram Singh Majithia are the star contestants. “My conscience and deep-rooted love for my state has been nudging me to quit service and dedicate myself to in its service,” he had said.
Sucha Ram Ladhar is another former IAS officer fielded by BJP from Gill. The MLA from this seat, Kuldeep Singh Vaid of Congress was also a former IAS officer.
Analyst Jagrup Singh Sekhon explains why these candidates generally do not win. “Chances of babus winning are slim. That’s because of the people’s perception of them during their service. They plunge into politics after service in order to retain power.”