1994 batch IAS Aparajita Sarangi quits IAS; likely to contest Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket

Aparajita Sarangi (Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

Aparajita Sarangi, a 1994 batch Odisha cadre IAS officer who took voluntary retirement early this month, is joining the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), thereby becoming the second IAS officer in the recent time to quit IAS and join the party that has been ruling the Central government. Only in August this year, 2005 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS, OP Choudhary, resigned from the elite service to join the BJP. He contested from Kharasia constituency of the state in the assembly poll that was held on November 20. The results will be out on December 11. In Sarangi’s state, Odisha, the BJP is, however, in the…

opposition. Speculations about Ms Sarangi joining politics were rife when she had applied for voluntary retirement in September this year. After getting her approval for VRS, she posted this message in a social media site: “I look forward to the next journey with  enthusiasm, positivity and optimism. I seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath and good wishes of all.”

The officer who had a very successful innings as Bhubaneswar municipal commissioner from May 2006 to July 2009, was in the Central deputation since 2013. She was to return to Odisha on October, but by then, she had applied for VRS. 

It’s believed that Sarangi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Bhubaneswar constituency on a BJP ticket. 

Sarangi, 49, was born in Bihar and entered into IAS after completing her graduation in English literature. 

Between 2013 and 2018, she served as a union joint secretary in the rural development ministry. Earlier in Odisha, she was commissioner and secretary in the departments like higher education and textiles. 

She served as collector in a number of Odisha districts such as Nuapada, Ganjam and Koraput.

She is married to her IAS batchmate Santosh Sarangi, presently a union joint secretary.