Retired IPS officer Bhaskar Rao joined AAP in Delhi on Monday, April 4. AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal welcomed him.
A native of Bengaluru, Rao belongs to the 1990 batch of the Indian Police Service. The senior police officer resigned from service. He served in a number of posts, including that of the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, commissioner of transport department, ADGP of internal security division and in the Karnataka State Reserve Police.
Bhaskar Rao was also joined by Prithvi Reddy, the state convener for AAP's Karnataka unit. "Warm welcome to "People's Commisioner" Shri Bhaskar Rao to Aam Aadmi Party ! Together we shall bring a people led political revolution to Namma Karnataka," Prithvi Reddy said in a tweet.
Earlier on Saturday, Bhaskar Rao had posted on social media about his resignation from police service. "Last trip home after curtains down of 32 years in IPS. I have extreme gratitude to my family, the people of Karnataka and all my colleagues, friends, elders & young people in my life and finally the Governments of Karnataka across parties. Heading into choppy seas," he had tweeted.
Bhaskar Rao's decision to join the party comes a year ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections in which AAP is trying to make inroads in Bengaluru. The party was bolstered by its victory in the Punjab state elections last month.
Following its win in Punjab, AAP in Karnataka has claimed that 'many big names' were joining the party ahead of the state elections next year. The party has set its sights on capturing the urban votes in Bengaluru, a city that has gained notoriety for its polluted lakes, pothole-ridden roads and traffic woes. Sources in the party claimed that Bhaskar Rao is in contention for the Basavanagudi and Malleswaram seats in Bengaluru.
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