I have NO problem him going down the Political route, but how he achieved it, 3 cases i want to highlight:
1. Disclosing of corruption in IA - he should have told this to higher political authority rather than telling it to media, that too after nearly 2 years & just before his date of retirement. I am sure if he had told the PM about it, he must have done something about that.
2. Age Issue - SC is the highest court in the country, judges know that there decision set a precedence across India so they have to be right almost every time, by giving the decision in Gen. VK singh's favor they would have never set a bad precedence when every succeeding COAS is suing the democratically elected govt. of India. He knew this from the very beginning but he made the case a MEDIA affair.
3. Letter Leak - three people knew about the letter - PM, RM & Him, now u can't expect the former 2 to leak the letter & make a mockery of there own Govt. nothing to say more.
Now, he was a serving COAS, he has to set example for his army which is already facing critical shortages, while he may be worrying about his career post retirement.
+ What he is doing post retirement - surround the Parliament, revolution & what not, these things are not expected from a man of his stature.