Jagan Mohan Reddy to give Ajay Kallam big role

Hyderabad: Former AP chief secretary Ajay Kallam will play a key role if the YSR Congress comes to power in the Assembly elections when the votes are counted on May 23.

It is expected that Mr Kallam, an officer with vast experience in administration and a clean image, will be appointed government adviser. Mr Kallam, a native of Guntur district, has worked in several important departments including revenue and finance and was Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Board. As special chief secretary, finance, he was very critical about the capital Amaravati and the Singapore agreements.

YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy who is aspiring to be Chief Minister has never worked as minister and he is very new to government administration. It is stated that he is not familiar with the bureaucrats and top police officers.

Mr Kallam, who retired a year ago, knows all the IAS and IPS officers and their style of functioning. This knowledge will help Mr Reddy, if he becomes Chief Minister, to revamp the administration, something that all incoming governments do,

According to sources, Mr Reddy and Mr Kallam are in regular touch, with the former learning administrative skills from the former bureaucrat.

When Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s father Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy became Chief Minister in 2004,  he too was new to government. At that time, he had the image of a factionist.

Within a year, Dr Rajasekhar Reddy had grown as an administrator, someone who is remembered a decade after his death. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy wants to emulate his father, and would depend on Mr Kalam,sources said.