Ex-Karnataka ADGP B Bhaskar Rao joins AAP
NEW DELHI:
Former IPS officer B Bhaskar Rao, a native of Karnataka, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here on Monday after serving the police force for 32 years in various capacities.
The 1990-batch Karnataka cadre Indian Police Service officer was officially inducted into the AAP by its national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders were also present at Kejriwal’s residence on the occasion.
”I am confident that Rao will prove to be an asset to the AAP and will strengthen its foothold in not just Karnataka, but the entire country,” Kejriwal said in a statement.
A ”well-connected leader” like Rao, who is already familiar with the issues faced by the people of Karnataka, is an important addition to the AAP’s movement in the state, he said.
”The AAP is not a political party, but a movement. Only when people join our movement and work together for the progress of our society will we be able to take our nation ahead,” Kejriwal added.
Welcome to the AAP family, Shri Bhaskar Rao ji. Your experience in public service will definitely help AAP to strengthen and grow in Karnataka. https://t.co/25IX81JFO2
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 4, 2022
Addressing a press conference later, Rao said he has joined the AAP as he was ”influenced” by Kejriwal’s ”life trajectory and his leadership” as well as his Delhi model of governance, which is now being replicated in Punjab.
”My thoughts align with the AAP’s mission to provide an honest governance model to the common people,” he said.
Rao, a native of Bengaluru, claimed that people in Karnataka have lost faith in their government and they also want parivartan (change) in the state as what all they have seen during the regimes of the ”traditional parties” is ”rise in corruption and misgovernance”.
”Common people want quality education, healthcare facility, safety and security, good roads…But in Karnataka, only people change, the system remains the same,” he said.
ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ: ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಮಾಜಿ ಎಡಿಜಿಪಿ ಬಿ ಭಾಸ್ಕರ್ ರಾವ್ ಆಪ್ ಸೇರ್ಪಡೆ
The former IPS officer said the Kejriwal model of governance should not remain confined to Delhi and Punjab only.
”It should be extended to Karnataka as well from 6,600 gram panchayats to the Vidhan Sabha,” he said, asserting, ”We will bring a big wave of change in Karnataka also in the coming days and make a big impact on the state’s political landscape.” Senior AAP leader Sisodia said Rao is known as ”people’s commissioner” in Karnataka due to the work that he did for the people during the COVID-19 pandemic while being posted as Bengaluru police commissioner ”When the state government and political parties failed to protect their people, he came forward to take up the responsibility of social welfare on an individual level to ensure availability of a proper healthcare system during the pandemic,” he told the press conference.
Sisodia called on those to join the AAP who feel connected to the people and are dedicated to serving the nation for its development.
AAP’s Karnataka unit convenor Prithvi Reddy, election in-charge for the state and Timarpur MLA Dilip Pandey, organisation secretary Damodaran and other leaders shared the dias with Rao and Sisodia at the press conference.
Rao, who was serving as the additional director general of police (railways), had resigned from the service in September last year, citing personal reasons.
He demitted his office on Friday to join the AAP after the Karnataka government accepted his resignation and relieved him of his duties.
Rao’s joining is seen as a shot in the arm of the AAP as it is preparing for the Karnataka assembly elections next year and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Greater Bengaluru Municipal Corporation) polls this year.
Party leaders believe that the popularity and clout of the former IPS officer would help the AAP better execute its expansion plan in the run up to the assembly elections in the state, currently ruled by the BJP.
The AAP had contested the Karnataka assembly polls for the first time in 2018, fielding candidates in 28 out of total 124 assembly seats. However, it could not open its account.
Riding high on its stupendous victory in Punjab, the party is hoping to gain its toehold in the southern state this time.
During his service, Rao held various positions and served as Bengaluru police commissioner, state transport commissioner and additional director general of police (adgp)- internal security.
He received the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2015, Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2008 and United Nations Medal for the Services rendered in International Peacekeeping in a warzone in 2000. PTI
About the Author
