Karnataka: Former Bengaluru Top Cop Bhaskar Rao Quits AAP, Joins Ruling BJP

In the run-up to the state assembly election in Karnataka, former Bengaluru city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao today (March 1) quit Aam Aadmi Party and joined the ruling BJP.

Rao’s decision to quit AAP represents a massive setback to the party as it comes days ahead of national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to Karnataka on March 4 to address a rally in Davanagere.

A Karnataka cadre IPS officer, Rao retired voluntarily to join the AAP in April last year. Before joining AAP, speculations were rife among political circles in the state that he was set to join the opposition Congress and would be fielded as a candidate in an assembly segment in south Bengaluru.

The former top cop was among the prominent personalities that the Kejriwal-led party was banking on to create an impact in the state. He was widely expected to be fielded as the party’s candidate in the city’s Basavanagudi or Malleswaram assembly segment. 

Though he was recently appointed as AAP’s manifesto committee chairperson, speculations were rife that Rao was unhappy with the turn of events in the party over the last few years. Rao

On Tuesday, Rao met BJP’s Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai, who is currently entrusted with running the party’s electoral campaign in the state.

Rao later met senior BJP leader and Minister R Ashoka. Rao served as transport and road safety commissioner between 2008 and 2011 when Ashoka was the transport minister. Rao also held a meeting with Union Minister Prahalad Joshi.

“I was thinking of changing the party since January and, after a lot of discussions, decided to join the BJP. I have not asked for any post or anything. I will work in the party as a worker,” Rao told the media.

“Keeping in mind the eminent leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I have decided to join the party where there is scope for opportunity and aspirations”, he said.   

Rao served as the commissioner of police for Bengaluru between August 2019 and 2020. He gained prominence for tough policing when the lockdown was enforced to combat the spread of coronavirus. Rao also courted controversy as he clashed with senior BJP leader and then Deputy CM Aswath Narayan.

When Rao submitted his VRS application, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai attempted to convince him to reconsider his decision, but the state government eventually processed his request.