Senior IPS officer from Telangana R S Praveen Kumar, who created a sensation of sorts by opting for voluntary retirement despite having six more years of service, has kept his cards close to his chest with regard to his future plans.
Praveen Kumar made it clear that he would take to active politics, but is not in a hurry.
He, however, brushed aside the speculations that he would be contesting the ensuing by-elections to Huzurabad assembly seat on the Telangana Rashtra Samithi ticket and said he had no such plans.
A section of media has reported that TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is not happy with Praveen Kumar as there have been several complaints against the latter for his unilateral decisions in the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS), of which he was the secretary.
There were also reports that the Centre was planning to change his cadre and send him to Chhattisgarh, following a recent controversy over insulting Hindu deities.
Therefore, he preferred to opt for voluntary retirement even before the Centre takes any such action.
For now, Praveen Kumar might not join the TRS. But a reference to Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshiram, in his parting message to his well-wishers in the social media, led to the speculations that he might join the BSP, which is presently defunct in the state, and make it a powerful political force.
There is also a talk that Praveen Kumar might float his own regional party with Swaero Movement launched by him as the foundation.
The movement has spread among the Dalits across the length and breadth of Telangana, who see him as a new Messaiah.
In a way, Praveen Kumar has gained much more goodwill among the Dalits than Manda Krishna Madiga, who is acceptable only to the Madiga sub-section among them.
He can mobilise lakhs of people with just one call.
So, there is every possibility that Praveen Kumar might launch a new political party or revive the defunct BSP.
Sources said he is also planning to take up padayatra across the state to galvanise the marginalised sections.
“He doesn’t want any immediate political gains, but appears to be eyeing the big seat in the 2023 assembly elections.
If not capturing the power, Praveen Kumar will definitely emerge as a king maker in the politics,” sources said.
