Subhash Bharni, IPS joins BSP in Karnataka, get ticket

MYSORE: Politics has come a full circle for the retired IPS official, Subash Bharni, who is now contesting the Kollegal by-election on the BSP ticket.Few days prior to the 2008 assembly elections, he joined the Congress and proclaimed his aim to make dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge the chief minister.

But when he realized he would not get the Congress ticket from T Narsipur reserved constituency-- his native taluk-- Bharni quit the Congress to join BJP. Then he bagan heaping praises on chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. Though he succeeded in getting the BJP ticket, he lost the elections, finishing third in the race behind the JD(S) candidate. Even then, to keep the dalit leader in good humour, Yeddyurappa provided him a post in the government with a cabinet minister's rank. But Bharni seems to nurturing his own ambitions and wants to make a career in electoral politics. So now, he has joined BSP and filed his nomination papers on Wednesday. However, Bharni has learnt the tricks of seasoned politicians. Immediately after filing nomination papers, Bharni told reporters he is a relieved man today as he joined the BSP, a party nurtured by leaders like Kansiram, an ardent follower of Dr B R Ambedker. "When I joined BJP I was in two minds on the issue and I was feeling that something was lacking in BJP for the people who abide by Dr Ambedker's principles," he said. "Now my goal in politics is to organize the poor, dalits and exploited masses as clamored by Babashaheb," he said. When asked about his next destination, Bharni said BSP will be his last stay in politics. "As long as I am alive I will be with BSP."