Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur says will contest UP assembly elections against Yogi Adityanath

In a video statement on his Twitter account, Thakur accused CM Yogi taking several ‘undemocratic, divisionary and discriminatory steps’ during his tenure.

Former Uttar Pradesh cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Amitabh Thakur announced on Saturday he will contest the upcoming assembly elections against chief minister Yogi Adityanath. In a video statement on his Twitter account, Thakur accused Adityanath of taking several “undemocratic, divisionary and discriminatory steps” during his tenure.

“Yesterday, after I announced my intention to contest against Yogi Adityanath, several friends have requested me to do so. After giving it a serious thought, I have decided to contest the upcoming assembly elections against him from whichever constituency he contests the polls,” the former IPS officer posted in a tweet, along with a video message in which he confirmed he will contest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.

“Many friends are requesting me to contest against Yogiji. This is not a bad idea at all. Though I know I will not receive too many votes as I don't have any politician-like quality, I will make sure that the chief minister fully complies with the Model Code of Conduct,” Thakur tweeted on Friday.

Yogi Adityanath is currently a Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and not a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). He was in his fifth consecutive term as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Gorakhpur when he was surprisingly picked by the BJP for the northern state’s top job. There are speculations that he might contest the assembly elections from Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Thakur’s wife Nutan called her husband’s decision a “fight for his principles,” also herself accusing the chief minister of taking several “improper and harassing” steps during his tenure. “Hence, Amitabh shall be contesting the elections against Shri Adityanath from wherever he contests,” the statement read.

In March this year, Thakur was given compulsory retirement from service “in public interest.” In a statement, the Union home ministry said he was found “unfit to be retained for the remaining tenure of his service.” The now former police officer would have completed his service in 2028.

In July 2015, he was suspended by the state government, then under the Samajwadi Party (SP), after he accused SP patriarch and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav of threatening him. Yadav’s son, Akhilesh Yadav, was then the chief minister. In April 2016, a Central tribunal directed that Thakur be reinstated, with full salary, with effect from October 2015.

Thakur, in March 2017, urged the Union government to dispose of his application seeking change in cadre, which he sent the previous year.

The Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are likely to take place early next year, with the ruling BJP seeking a repeat of its victory from five years ago.

(With PTI inputs)