UP Election 2022: Akhilesh Yadav seeks EC probe questioning ex-IPS officer Asim Arun's BJP induction

By Team Newsable | First Published Jan 16, 2022, 5:50 PM IST

Yadav raked up the issue of bureaucrats joining the saffron party and said that he will file a complaint with the Election Commission to remove all officials who joined the BJP with Asim Arun.

Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022, a fresh controversy erupted as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday expressed his disappointment with former Kanpur Police Commissioner Asim Arun joining the BJP days after taking voluntary retirement.

Asim Arun, the 1994-batch IPS officer held the post of Kanpur Police Commissioner till January 10 and took voluntary retirement a week ago to join the BJP.

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Yadav raked up the issue of bureaucrats joining the saffron party and said that he will file a complaint with the Election Commission to remove all officials who joined the BJP with Asim Arun.

“I will complain to the Election Commission to remove all officials who joined BJP with Asim Arun in the duration of five years because they would work as BJP workers", Akhilesh Yadav said, adding, “Questions will arise on the ECI if it doesn't probe the matter; we won't believe it is working fairly.”

Arun was posted as Kanpur Police Commissioner at the time and he took voluntary retirement, right ahead of his joining the BJP. Earlier in the day, he joined the party in the presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh and other party leaders in Lucknow.

Also read: UP Election 2022: Ex-minister Dara Singh Chauhan joins Samajwadi Party

Welcoming Asim Arun to the party, Anurag Thakur said, “A person who is experienced, honest and is ideal for the youngsters are joining the BJP today. I welcome Asim Arun.” The Union Minister said BJP will move forward with the experience of the former bureaucrat and called for more youth participation in the saffron party.

The Minister also took a dig at Samajwadi party of the occasion, and said, “People joining SP do riots, people joining BJP catch rioters. SP MLAs are either in jail or on bail, that’s their original game. It’s clear people with clean characters join BJP, and rioters including many with blood-covered hands join SP,” said Thakur.

“I am happy, satisfied, I have got a chance to serve the public. This decision was not easy for me as on one side there was a job, on the other hand, there was an opportunity for public service” Asim Arun said while joining the party.

Elections for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly will be held in seven phases beginning February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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