<p>Apart from professional politicians, elections involve many others from all walks of life as candidates and as persons engaged in associated tasks and responsibilities. This should be so because the democratic process should be inclusive and see the participation of everyone. Some of the ills of politics may be the result of the politicians’ monopoly over the profession. But many persons suddenly become interested in politics at the time of elections, and the entry of some of them in the electoral contest would raise questions about their past conduct and intentions and the motives of parties in engaging them. When officials decide to take the plunge in electoral politics, parties accept them on various considerations, such as their reputation, caste or community and even lineage. But one big reason is the services rendered by the official during his tenure, and the ticket becomes a token of gratitude. </p>.<p>That is why the BJP ticket for Rajeshwar Singh, who was till last week the Joint Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has raised many eyebrows. Rajeshwar Singh opted for voluntary retirement and quit service, and was immediately named the BJP candidate from a Lucknow constituency. He is no ordinary officer but was a top cop who led investigations in many cases with high political import. These include the cases about the 2G spectrum, coal mines allocation, the Augusta-Westland deal, and those against former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and his son, and many others. Though there was no conviction in most of these cases, they are considered to have served a political purpose that served the ruling party. At a time when the ED is widely seen as a political tool of the government, the former official’s shift to the BJP has invited the jibe that he has “moved from a wholly owned subsidiary to the parent company”. </p>.<p>Rajeshwar Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and ED Director SK Mishra in a parting tweet. It is when an official thanks the top political and government leadership, presumably for what they did for him, that questions arise about what he did for them. Some officials who quit service and join politics do so out love for public service beyond the limitations imposed by the official code of conduct. But many do it to earn rewards for the violations of the code they did during their service. Such cases devalue government service and make people cynical, and blur the vital dividing lines that should exist in government. They also lead to loss of public trust in the decisions and actions of important arms and agencies of government.</p>
<p>Apart from professional politicians, elections involve many others from all walks of life as candidates and as persons engaged in associated tasks and responsibilities. This should be so because the democratic process should be inclusive and see the participation of everyone. Some of the ills of politics may be the result of the politicians’ monopoly over the profession. But many persons suddenly become interested in politics at the time of elections, and the entry of some of them in the electoral contest would raise questions about their past conduct and intentions and the motives of parties in engaging them. When officials decide to take the plunge in electoral politics, parties accept them on various considerations, such as their reputation, caste or community and even lineage. But one big reason is the services rendered by the official during his tenure, and the ticket becomes a token of gratitude. </p>.<p>That is why the BJP ticket for Rajeshwar Singh, who was till last week the Joint Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has raised many eyebrows. Rajeshwar Singh opted for voluntary retirement and quit service, and was immediately named the BJP candidate from a Lucknow constituency. He is no ordinary officer but was a top cop who led investigations in many cases with high political import. These include the cases about the 2G spectrum, coal mines allocation, the Augusta-Westland deal, and those against former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and his son, and many others. Though there was no conviction in most of these cases, they are considered to have served a political purpose that served the ruling party. At a time when the ED is widely seen as a political tool of the government, the former official’s shift to the BJP has invited the jibe that he has “moved from a wholly owned subsidiary to the parent company”. </p>.<p>Rajeshwar Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and ED Director SK Mishra in a parting tweet. It is when an official thanks the top political and government leadership, presumably for what they did for him, that questions arise about what he did for them. Some officials who quit service and join politics do so out love for public service beyond the limitations imposed by the official code of conduct. But many do it to earn rewards for the violations of the code they did during their service. Such cases devalue government service and make people cynical, and blur the vital dividing lines that should exist in government. They also lead to loss of public trust in the decisions and actions of important arms and agencies of government.</p>
