By Imran Khan, Patna, March 21 IANS | 2 years ago  Former
officials, including those from the elite Indian Administrative
Service (IAS), seem to have kept caste equation in mind while
choosing the constituency from which they want to contest the
Lok Sabha election. Half a dozen former bureaucrats are in the
political fray in caste-ridden Bihar.  R.K. Singh, a Bihar cadre
IAS officer who is a former union home secretary, is contesting
the Ara seat as a BJP candidate.  "After Singh joined the BJP,
the party has fielded him from Ara taking the caste factor in
his favour," a BJP leader said.  For Singh, a Rajput, an
influential upper caste, and native of state's Supaul district,
Ara is considered to be a safe seat with a strong presence of
his caste men and other upper castes.  "If R.K. Singh has taken
the poll plunge to make a difference in politics, he should have
contested from Supaul or Madhepura. Why is he contesting from
Ara? It raised many eyebrows as it is a sign of the caste
factor," said Ranjeev, a poli