Bureaucrats set for major reshuffle as Jagan set to take oath as CM on May 30

Hyderabad: A massive shake up of the bureaucracy awaits Andhra Pradesh as YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister on May 30. YSRC leaders say that a clean and efficient administration with special attention to law and order will be the top focus of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.

While senior IAS officer L.V. Subrahmanyam, who was appointed Chief Secretary by the Election Commission, is likely to continue on the post, several heads will roll in the police department. DGP R.P. Thakur and DG, Anti Corruption Bureau, A.B. Venkateswara Rao will almost certainly be moved out.

Mr Thakur’s 1986 batchmate Mr D. Gautam Sawang is said to be the top most contender for the post of the DGP. During the Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy government, Mr Subrahmanyam was vice chairman and managing director of APIIC and is known to be an upright officer. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy is expected to take Mr Subrahm-anyam’ suggestions before he reshuffles the bureaucracy.

Among other IAS officers there is all likelihood of moving out Special Chief Secretary Satish Chandra, who was considered close to the Naidu government. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Endowments Officer A.K. Singhal could be shifted. In fact, Mr Subrahmanyam had suggested that Mr Singhal be pulled up for his “callous” attitude in handling the transportation of 1381 kg of gold, which was seized by the Election Commission and was later released.

But more than the IAS officers, it is the IPS fraternity that will feel the heat. Speculation is rife that Mr Thakur and Mr Rao will be the first to be transferred. The YSRC leaders led by Mr V. Vijaya Sai Reddy had complained to the EC that the two officials were “partisan”, and sought their removal. While Mr Rao was shifted and later posted as DG, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Mr Thakur continued in the post. It is not clear if Vijayawada police commissioner Ch. Dwarka Tirumala Rao will be shifted.

“The coterie of IPS officers considered close to the police top brass will all be shifted,” informed a senior YSRC leader.

The state Intelligence wing, whose former chief Venkateswara Rao has always been on the radar of Mr Reddy and his party leaders, especially after the defections of 23 YSRC MLAs to the Telugu Desam, will be completely shaken up and it is likely that senior IPS officer P.S.R. Anjaneyulu, who has just returned from deputation to the BSF, may head the Intelligence wing.

With regard to the DGP, though the name of Mr Sawang is doing the rounds, IPS circles are discussing the possibility of K.R.M. Kishore Kumar. But for him to occupy the post, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government will have to overlook seniority. While Mr Sawang is of the 1986 batch, Kishore Kumar is from the 1989 batch.