Exclusive: Ex-IAS officer from Kerala Tikaram Meena whose autobiography ruffled feathers to contest Rajasthan Assembly polls

Speaking to ETV Bharat's Kerala Bureau Chief Biju Gopinath, former Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala said that if allowed to contest the elections, he will act according to the wishes of the people.

Jaipur: Former Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala and a native of Rajasthan Tikaram Meena is all set to contest the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections. Speaking to ETV Bharat in an exclusive interview Meena said he has not decided which party to contest for. He made the announcement during the interview at his home in Pura Jolanda in the Sawaimadhepur district of Rajasthan.

Meena said that even though his professional life is over, there is a demand from his hometown that he should not end his social life. If allowed to contest the elections, he will act according to the wishes of the people. Asked about what prompted him to take the electoral plunge, Meena said that during his visit to villages, he found great support and love for him from the people which motivated him to enter politics.

He confirmed that he has been invited by the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP in Rajasthan to join politics. However, Meena, who retired last year from the Kerala cadre in the rank of Chief Secretary, refused to divulge any further details about his political future.

Following his retirement, Meena was welcomed by the locals on March 1 in his hometown. A large number of people gathered to see him showing his popularity in the area. The 'Meena cast' is a very influential cast in Rajasthan where caste politics plays a key role in determining electoral outcomes.

However, he has not taken a final decision on which party to join. He has never said 'no' to any party. Sawaimadhepur district has four assembly constituencies namely Gangapur, Bamanwas, Sawaimadhepur and Khandar.

Tikaram Meena, a 1988 batch Kerala cadre IAS officer, retired from the rank of Chief Secretary on March 31, 2022. He was born in Pura Jolanda, a village in the Sawaimadhepur district of Rajasthan. Even when Meena was on official duty in Kerala, he used to visit his native village on holidays and interact cordially with the villagers.