Aspiring for Congress ticket, Dy DDO seeks voluntary retirement in Ahmedabad

It seems the state government is all too willing to accept the resignation of a bureaucrat who wishes to contest elections on a BJP ticket. However, if the bureaucrat is headed towards the Congress, the government is unwilling to let him go.

The case of Deputy District Development Officer (DyDDO) BJ Sosa, who is posted in Surendranagar district panchayat, seems to confirm this perception. Sosa has resigned from service and, according to sources, is likely to contest the assembly elections on a Congress ticket from Gadhada (now Vallabhipur) assembly constituency.

Sosa confirmed that he had applied for voluntary retirement but denied that he had plans to contest elections.

“I had applied for voluntary retirement but that is not happening now. I had approached the high court too but I have withdrawn my petition. In any case, I retire on October 31,” he said.

Sources in the government indicated that Sosa’s resignation has not been accepted because of an ‘administrative inquiry’ pending against him.

“He had sought voluntary retirement from service but his request is yet to be accepted by the state government. There is a departmental enquiry pending against him,” a government official said on the condition of anonymity.

The official further said that Sosa’s wish to contest on a Congress ticket may be the reason why his exit is being delayed.

The departmental enquiry against Sosa was initiated by the panchayat department which was then headed by none other than additional chief secretary (ACS) RM Patel. Patel has also taken voluntary retirement and Saturday (Sept 29) was his last day in service.

The buzz in political circles is Patel is likely to be fielded by ruling BJP from Asarwa.