From CBI Chief to Politics: Nageswara Rao Takes a New Turn

Former CBI Director M. Nageswara Rao has entered politics after nearly four decades of administrative experience. He took charge as the national president of the Sarvajan Sanatan Party (SSP) at Kashi, launching his political journey with the slogan “Modern India with Sanatan roots.” Rao said India’s reconstruction cannot be achieved through administrative reforms alone and stressed the need to combine modern development with the country’s civilisational roots. He also said the party is preparing for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with education, healthcare, livelihoods and cultural-civilisational connectivity among its key priorities.

Rao clarified that Sanatan is not merely a form of worship but a way of life based on values such as truth, righteousness, responsibility, compassion, justice, self-discipline, nature, family, society and public welfare. He said the party does not seek to return to the past, but aims to build a modern India while preserving its civilisational heritage. During his CBI tenure, Rao was associated with the investigation of cases including the Saradha and Rose Valley chit-fund cases, the AgustaWestland case and matters involving Vijay Mallya. Earlier, as an Odisha police officer, he handled several significant investigations and operations, including anti-Naxal operations.