Considered to be tough and formidable, former top cops of the Punjab police have become ticket aspirants in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state.
As many as three former director-generals of the Punjab police had shown their
desire to try their luck in the electoral battle. Out of three top cops, two are seeking tickets of the ruling Akali Dal and one of the Congress.
Topping the chart is former DGP Paramdeep Singh Gill who had retired in September this year and is currently adviser, home. Taking the lead, Mr Gill had already started a mass contact programme in Moga.
He is in the race for the SAD ticket from the Moga Assembly segment. Mr Gill is seeking ticket to keep alive the political legacy of his father, the late Nachattar Singh Gill, a former MLA from Moga. In the past couple of weeks, Mr Gill has begun visiting local councillors at their homes to enlist their support for his candidature.
Interestingly, Mr Gill’s candidature was facing stiff opposition within the party as many councillors met party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and urged him not make Mr Gill the party candidate. The councillors want the ticket to be given to fellow councillor Barjinder Singh Brar, who is also the son of a former Akali MLA.
Similarly, retired DGP Mohammed Izhar Alam is seeking a ticket from the Muslim-dominated constituency of Malerkotla. The SAD has already appointed him as the constituency in-charge.
Mr Mustaffa’s candidature is facing opposition from not only the Opposition Congress, but also from various religious organisations and seminaries, which believe that Mr Alam had done various excesses during the days of terrorism in Punjab.
If given the Akali Dal ticket, Mr Alam will face Congress MLA Razia Sultan, who happens to be the wife of another senior cop, Mohammed Mustafa.
The third cop aspiring to turn politician is former DGP S.S. Virk, who, unlike his comrades, is eyeing a Congress ticket. Mr Virk wants to contest from Dasuya constituency in Punjab. Mr Virk was removed by the EC in 2007 from the post of DGP and was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2007.
He was later repatriated to his parent cadre, the Maharashtra police. Mr. Virk is considered close to Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee President Mr. Amarinder Singh who is supporting his candidature.