It seems that the election bug has bitten several retired civil service officers and those who are on the verge of retirement.
For, several retired and to-be-retired IAS and IPS officers have decided to take a plunge into the electoral politics in the coming Assembly elections.
Retired IPS officers Shankar Bidari, Subhash Bharani, retired IAS officers Ashok Kumar Manoli, IG Perumal, Ashok Kumar Manoli, Baburao Mudabi, S Puttaswamy, B Shivappa are reportedly trying for Assembly tickets. Two other IAS officers K Shivaram and Baladevakrishna have applied for voluntary retirement with an aim to contest the elections. Shivaramu is due for retirement in April while Baladevkrishna will retire in June.
While the Congress is the most preferred choice of many of these babus, there are quite a few knocking the doors of other parties, except the ruling BJP, for tickets.
Bidari is trying for the Congress ticket to contest from Teradal constituency in Bagalkot district while Shivaram is eying the Mahadevapur reserve constituency, which is now represented by Health Minister Aravind Limbavali.
Similarly Baladevakrishna, S Puttaswamy and Manoli are also in the race for the Congress ticket from Shimoga, Araklagud and Hubli or Belgaum constituencies respectively.
Bharani, who unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly elections on the BJP ticket, is now planning to contest on JD(S) ticket from Gandhinagar constituency in Bangalore. Another retired IPS officer MC Narayanaswamy is eying Chikkapet.
Former BBMP commissioner DR S Subramanya is also keen to fight the elections on the JD(S) ticket. However, he, is yet to decide on the constituency.
Former CM BS Yedddyurappa-led KJP is also in demand as two retired IAS officers are seeking to contest on the party ticket. While IG Perumal wants to contest from one of the constituencies in Bangalore, Baburao Mudabi is on the look out for a safe constituency in Bidar and Gulbarga districts Another retired IAS officer B Shivappa, who is known for his association with Bellary Reddy brothers, is planning to contest Assembly elections on the BSR Congress ticket. Apart from these babus, several retired police officers like Abdul Azim and Lokeshwarappa have also decided to make a career in politics.