Bihar: 12 retd IPS officers set to join Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Abhiyan

Earlier, six former bureaucrats joined election strategist Prashant Kishore’s Jan Suraj Abhiyan in Bihar on May 2

Election strategist Prashant Kishore has got a shot in the arm with 12 former Indian Police Service (IPS) officers set to join his Jan Suraj Abhiyan in Bihar on Sunday, people familiar with the matter said.

Prashant Kishor. (PTI File Photo)

The development comes within days after six former bureaucrats joined his movement on May 2

Kishor’s Abhiyan completed a year on May 2 with his padyatra covering almost 3,000 kms in seven districts. He is likely to undertake padyatra in the remaining 30 districts as well.

Kishor, also known as PK, has been targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) through his padyatra, and hasn’t spared even Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his attacks.

“Today more than 200 IAS, IPS, doctors, advocates and people from different professions are associated with Jan Suraj Abhiyan. The formal joining process started on May 2. In the coming next six months, more people will join us,” said Kishor at Vaishali on May 2.

The 12 retired IPS officers are expected to take membership in the Abhiyan in the state capital Patna.

The Abhiyan also enjoys the support of two MLCs. Backed by the Abhiyan, Afaq Ahmed won from the teacher’s constituency of Saran and became an MLC. Another MLC, Sachchidanand Rai, who was formerly associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been involved with Kishor’s movement since beginning.

The retired IPS officers who joined PK’s movement include RK Mishra, SK Paswan, K K Verma and K B Singh. Mishra was the ex-DG (Homeguards) while S K Paswan retired as DG (jails), Chhattisgarh.

The 6 retired promoted Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, who joined the Abhiyaan on May 2, included Ajay Kumar Dwivedi (West Champaran, Retd. Special Secretary, Cabinet, Government of Bihar); Arvind Kumar Singh (Bhojpur, Retired Secretary, Former District Magistrate, Kaimur and Purnia); Lalan Yadav (Munger, Retd. Commissioner, Purnia, DM, Nawada, Katihar); Tulsi Hazar (East Champaran; Retired Administrator Bettiah Raj, Government of Bihar); Suresh Sharma (Gopalganj, Retd. Joint Secretary, Health Department, Government of Bihar) and Gopal Narayan Singh (Aurangabad, Retd. Joint Secretary, Rural Affairs Department, Government of Bihar).