Former DM Feraque Ahmad all set to join AAP, eyeing party ticket from Kishanganj in 2014

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Former Kishanganj District Magistrate (DM) and Retd. IAS Officer Feraque Ahmad is all set to join much-talked about Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). When contacted over phone Mr. Ahmad said that he will officially join Aam Aadmi Party on 3rd January 2014 at the party’s office in Patna. Mr. Ahmad said that if the party high-command allows, he will love to contest Lok Sabha elections in 2014 from Kishanganj district, where he had served as District Magistrate for around two and half years. 

Feraque Ahamd

Answering a tricky question about his vast experience as a bureaurcrate and expectations of common people, Mr. Ahmad said, “I find myself as a successful bureaucrate within which a common man’s heart was lying. In short, I have a perfect balance of a common man and a bureaucrate who understands the politics and government functionaries very well. The common man lying within me would help to identify the problems faced by the masses, on the other side with my vast expertise as a bureacurate I can find out the solution of those problems / issues. During my 35-year-old long career, I was attached with the common people and solved their problems in such a way that people were fully satisfied”

Feraque Ahmad is remembered in Kishanganj for his humanitarian touch and problem-solving approach for the masses. He had also taken initiatives to improve the facilities at Sadar Hospital Kishanganj and other government functionaries and offieces. He had played a key role in identifying the required 250 acres land for setting up Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Campus at Kishanganj in 2008. 

Highlights of Feraque Ahmad’s 35-year-long bureaucratic career:

- Provided assistance as a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in the establishment of SIWAN ENGINEERING COLLEGE under Siwan Educational & Welfare Trust. 

- As ADM, Patna he had provided 64 acres of land to ICAR, about 25 acres of land to BIT MESRA for Patna campus. 

- As Deputy Development Commissioner Drabhanga, he was fully involved in flood relief to the people of Darbhanga District. The flood victims of Darbhanga District appreciated his relief works.

- He had also got the opportunity to take classes of 2006 batch of newly recruited IAS officers at Lal Bahadur Shahstri  National Academy of Musoorie. 

- As District Magistrate cum Collector Kishanganj, he had identified and allocated 248 acres land for the establishment of AMU, campus in the district.

- As DM Kishanganj he was awarded in 2008 as BEST DM of Bihar in the field of education by Deputy CM of Bihar.

After retirement from my service he is fully involved in social work and running a school for providing free education to poor and orphan children for his native village and neighbouring areas. When asked why he wants to join AAP, Faraque Ahmad said, "Throughout my professional career, I felt suffocated. If I did good work, I would be harassed. But, AAP is a people's party. It gives an opportunity to do good for people."

It would be too early to say anything about Feraque Ahmad’s self-representation or expectation to get Lok Sabha election ticket from Aam Aadmi Party. In few weeks or a couple of months the things will be much clear with the official declaration of AAP’s candidate from Kishagnanj Lok Sabha Constitution. However, the announcement by Feraque Ahmad has brought an interesting equation in the current political scenario of the district. Voters of Kishanganj will really have a tough choice for themselves to franchise their votes and elect a suitable leader for them. Feraque Ahmad has upper hand in bureaucratic circles and educated class, but he needs to reach out to people / potential voters in far-off areas of the district.