Bureaucrats make the grade for all parties

A wave of senior former government bureaucrats and administrators are now seeking positions in local body politics, bringing with them decades of administrative expertise and crisis-management experience.

- HD Bureau

Former officers who were on the frontlines during major emergencies such as the 2018 and 2019 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, the Covid-19 pandemic and other state-level crises are steadily being fielded by political parties for municipal and panchayat elections. Analysts say this shift underscores a strategic recalibration by parties seeking candidates with institutional knowledge and operational ready-checking.

Political parties have identified former bureaucrats as valuable assets because they possess a deep familiarity with administrative procedures, official documentation, regulatory frameworks and the nuts-and-bolts of governance that incoming legislators often lack.