UP Elections 2022: After Voluntary Retirement, Former ED Joint Director Joins BJP To Contest From Lucknow

In its latest list of candidates for the nearing Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded former joint director of the Enforcement Directorate Rajeshwar Singh from the Sarojini Nagar constituency in Lucknow. Singh gets the party ticket a day after he took voluntary retirement from services to enter politics with the BJP.

Civil Service Career

Singh has a civil service career of more than two decades, during which he served for ten years in the UP police and the remaining 14 years in the ED. Singh applied for voluntary retirement service (VRS) late last year while he still had 11 years of service left. His VRS request was accepted on Monday, January 31, paving the way for his political debut.

VRS Approved

Singh shared an open letter on Twitter and informed that his request for VRS has been approved by the Government of India. He said on Twitter that his professional journey of 24 years has transitioned and expressed his gratitude to prominent leaders of BJP, Director ED and UP Police. "I have learned a lot while working with these organisations for so many years. I join the PMs mission to make India a Vishwa Guru, as a participant, to contribute with conviction and integrity in this process of nation-building," added Singh.

As my professional journey of 24 years turns to a transition today, on this occasion, I express my deep seated gratitude to the Hon PM Shri @narendramodi ji, Hon HM Shri @AmitShah ji and FM Smt @nsitharaman ji, CM Shri @myogiadityanath ji, Shri S K Mishra, Director ED and 1/2 pic.twitter.com/IBXP1TaSoE

— Rajeshwar Singh (@RajeshwarS73) January 31, 2022

Rajeshwar Singh's candidature from the Sarojini Nagar constituency seat came at the cost of sitting Member of Legislative Assembly Swati Singh, minister of state (independent charge) for women's Welfare, Child Development & Nutrition. However, the two met and ensured to work together for the development of the area.

स्वाति सिंह जी से शिष्टाचार भेंट, क्षेत्र के विकास के लिए साथ मिलकर काम करेंगे।

उन्होंने शुभकमाएं दीं, आभार pic.twitter.com/Fgbw0Lwbgf

— Rajeshwar Singh (@RajeshwarS73) February 2, 2022

Statements So Far

After joining BJP, while speaking to ANI, Singh said, "Will take forward BJP's ideology. Party's ideology is the country's future. (CM) Yogi Ji is doing great work against 'mafias'. We need to support them. Need to control growing communalism."

He also told ANI, "We have to work for the youth & generate employment for them. The reason I joined BJP is that it is a nationalist party... Samajwadi Party is nowhere in the fight. BJP will form the government in Uttar Pradesh again... I will file my nomination tomorrow."

Rajeshwar Singh is the second senior IPS officer fielded by the BJP. Before Singh, IPS officer Asim Arun had recently quit his police service and joined the BJP to contest from native Kannauj.

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