Three ex-IPS officers join BJP in Jharkhand

J B Tubid has reportedly been granted voluntary retirement and is set to contest from Chaibasa. Tubid had courted controversy on Monday after visiting the BJP office in his official vehicle. He was there reportedly to meet Trivendra Singh Rawat, the newly-appointed state in-charge. The JMM has gone on the offensive against him. “He should be reported to the Election Commission for violation of the Model Code of Conduct,” said JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey. Tubid was unavailable for comments.

Amitabh Choudhary had contested for the Ranchi Lok Sabha seat earlier this year as a JVM candidate. He had done so after unsuccessfully lobbying for the BJP seat. He refused to speculate on his chances of winning a ticket. “My joining has nothing to do with contesting elections. I will let the party decide that,” he said. The BJP has a strong candidate from Ranchi, the sitting MLA and former assembly Speaker C P Singh. Sheetal Oraon and Laxman Prasad Singh are reportedly angling for Lohardaga and Bokaro seats respectively.

The BJP already has a former policeman for a legislator — V D Ram retired as the DGP of the state and is currently the Palamu MP.