IItians, Docs set to contest UP elections

Lucknow, Mar 8 (UNI) Instead of a white-collar job in some top corporate, they have chosen politics to bring about ''real change''.

Besides the hardcore politicians a bunch of IIT graduates will also take the plunge in the 'Mahasangram' for the politically most important state of Uttar Pradesh in April-May.

These IITians have floated a new political forum Bharat Punarnirman Dal (BPD) under whose banner at least five candidates, including a few IIT pass-outs, will contest the forthcoming assembly poll in the state.

A small but surely an encouraging start -- these handful brilliant minds have started a campaign for politcal reform, coming from various backgrounds such as engineering, medical and legal, brushing aside the notion that politics was an ''untouchable'' field for the young minds.

BPD national president Ajit Ashwalayan Shukla says that instead of sharing the drawing room conversations, they intend to jump into the ''real action''. Our main agenda will be to make the people aware of the power of their ballot and we will urge them to cast their votes to ensure cent per cent polling, Mr Shukla said.

Ravi Bharat, a member of the newly-floated outfit, said ''We feel direct intervention is needed as nothing will happen if everyone will just keep on criticising the politcal system. In order to change things someone needs to take the plunge and that is why I have left my job with an export firm and I am here. I also feel that I would do a greater justice with my MBA degree in this way.'' MORE UNI