CHENNAI: Santhosh Babu IAS nurtured a dream to enter politics after his due retirement from the civil service in 2026. However, the dream became a reality due to circumstances as he had to quit his job and join actor Kamal Hassan's Makkal Needhi Maiyam. "I had a vision to float a 'National Good Governance party' in 2026 and had been preparing a manifesto and a vision for the party," confides Santhosh Babu, who quit the services last year while serving as the Information Technology Secretary in the Tamil Nadu government.
He was instrumental in bringing in change in the IT sector in the state by trying bring in policies like 'Predictive governance', State Family Database, Blockchain and Bharatnet. Babu is now contesting from the Velachery constituency in Chennai, a home for many IT employeers.
Babu says he got an offer from the Prime minister's Office to work in the Centre as chief executive officer for MyGov, an innovative platform to build a partnership between Citizens and Government with the help of technology for growth and development of India. However, the bureaucrat preferred to serve the state. "I had been visiting Delhi a number of times and once even in a wheelchair on behalf of the state." recalls Babu, who played a key role in getting funds for the ambitious Bharatnet programme.
But trouble started over tenders, which got mired in controversy. "There was immense pressure," the official said that resulted in him seeking voluntary retirement from service. However, his wife persuaded him against it. "It was during this time, a non governmental organisation highlighted irregularities in the tender process. I had no part in it. But I was tagged," says the former bureaucrat, who then put in his papers. It is learnt that the bureaucrat will soon be coming out with a book also.
"I entered politics to change the system. I joined actor Kamal Haasan's party as I found him honest to deal with," says Babu, who filed his nomination from Velachery on Wednesday. "Filing a nomination is a painful thing. Had they implemented predictive governance, which I was championing, it won't have been this taxing," says Babu.
"I have been in touch with the people three days ago and the campaigning has started. I will be knocking at all the doors," said the bureaucrat turned politician.
"Though this role is different and with a general perception that politics is dirty. I am joining politics not to enhance self. It is a life without expectations," says Babu.
The former bureaucrat says he is aware of the issues in the constituency. These include drainage issues, water and health. "I will try to maintain a direct connection with the people. My focus is not only grievance redressal but also solutions on how to transform Velachery and provide world class governance to my constituency," he says.
On how he is going to face the challenge from parties like DMK and AIADMK, who have money and muscle power, the former civil servant acknowledged the fact that he doesn't have money power to fight the elections. "The poll expense is crowd-funded. It is funded by well-wishers and the public," he says.
"I will give his 100 per cent and work for the elections. In a single second, opinions can change," he says with optimism.
Babu, who was also instrumental in drafting the manifesto for Makkal Needhi Maiyam, has been highlighting the importance of providing a free computer to every family in the state. When queried isn't it like the subsidies offered by DMK and AIADMK like free gas cylinders and washing machines, the former bureaucrat shot back. "It is an investment in Human Resources and this will help in empowering people and rural development. It will not only be used by children but also by parents," he says.
The bureaucrat turned politician says that he is also focussing on the downtrodden through an approach concentrating on a family rather than individual. "The idea is to evaluate the potential of each and every member of the family and skill them," he says.
On whether he is still in touch with colleagues from bureaucracy, he says most of them prefer to distance themselves from him.