B Bhaskar Rao, a 1990 batch Karnataka cadre IPS officer and Bengaluru native, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the national capital on Monday after serving the police force in various capacities for 32 years.
Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner joined AAP in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia.
After joining AAP, Rao said, “I am very impressed with the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal looking at the administration of Delhi in the last 6-7 years.”
“My mission is to bring Arvind Kejriwal’s good governance to South India, especially in Bengaluru. There is no dearth of anything except quality leadership in Karnataka.”
AAP’s Karnataka unit convener Prithvi Reddy, state election in-charge and Timarpur MLA Dilip Pandey, organization secretary Damodaran and other leaders were present at the party headquarters here.
Rao, who was serving as Additional Director General of Police (Railways), had resigned from the service in September last year citing personal reasons.
He left his office on Friday to join AAP after the Karnataka government accepted his resignation and relieved him of his duties.
Rao’s joining is seen as a shot in the hands of AAP, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party preparing for next year’s Karnataka Assembly elections, which begin this year in the Brihat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Greater Bengaluru Municipal Corporation). from the elections.
Party leaders believe that the former IPS officer’s popularity and clout will help AAP better implement its expansion plan for the assembly elections in the state, which is currently ruled by the BJP.
AAP had contested the Karnataka assembly elections for the first time in 2018, fielding candidates on 28 of the total 124 assembly seats, but could not open the account.
With its resounding victory in Punjab, the party is hoping to strengthen its hold 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, the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2008 and the United Nations Medal for Services rendered in International Peacekeeping on a Battlefield in 2000.
with agency input
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