2 SSPs take voluntary retirement, likely to contest J&K polls on BJP tickets
The long overdue elections to the Jammu and Kashmir legislature are scheduled to be held before September 30 this year
With the much-awaited assembly elections around the corner, two senior superintendent of police (SSP) rank officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police have opted for voluntary retirement for contesting the ensuing polls from Marh and Akhnoor assembly constituencies in Jammu district
The long overdue elections to the Jammu and Kashmir legislature are scheduled to be held before September 30 this year.
SSP Mohan Lal Kaith, a senior officer of 2003-batch of the Kashmir Police Service (KPS), who was heading 4th Battalion of the security wing, has resigned from his post.
“His resignation file has been cleared by the police department and now awaits acceptance at the home department. Kaith, aged 59 years, will contest the ensuing elections, likely on a BJP ticket, from Marh constituency, which has been reserved for the scheduled caste category,” said people close to him.
Another SSP rank officer, Mohan Lal, 58, has also submitted his papers seeking voluntary retirement from the police service.
“The officer has completed mandatory service and has opted for a voluntary retirement scheme. He is also going to contest the ensuing Assembly elections from Akhnoor assembly constituency, which has been reserved for candidates of the SC community,” said people familiar with the development.
His resignation file also awaited acceptance by the home department.
It has been reliably learnt that both the police officers were in deliberations with the BJP before taking the call to hang their uniforms.
The saffron party, whose vote share dwindled drastically in the recently held Parliamentary elections in Jammu region, wants to rope in the two senior officers to propel its poll prospects in the Assembly elections.
“The two police officers, who enjoy a neat and clean image, have a close rapport with the people on the ground in Marh and Akhnoor. The BJP wants to en-cash their reputation,” said a BJP leader, who insisted anonymity.
In the 2014 assembly elections, the BJP had won a record 25 seats from Jammu region and the People’s Democratic Party had won 28 seats.
Subsequently, both the political parties had formed a coalition government, which fell apart on June 19, 2018 after BJP parted ways with the PDP over worsening security scenario.
It was the last assembly election before the J&K’s special status was revoked and two UTs were carved out of the state—J&K and Ladakh on August 5, 2019.