HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday chose senior bureaucrat V. Sheshadri to head the crucial Chief Minister's Office. By picking an officer known for his integrity and enormous knowledge over land matters, Reddy has sent strong message that he would cleanse the land management system Dharani which he had earlier termed a “cesspool of corruption.”
Sources told Deccan Chronicle that Reddy might prefer to retain the revenue portfolio with himself. Seshadri is a secretary rank officer and is due for promotion as principal secretary in January.
Though Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari is continuing for the time being, sources said she would be replaced. A senior official, Sunil Sharma, will be the front runner for the top post. Sheshadri was handpicked to serve in the PM’s Office during the Manmohan Singh regime and Prime Minister Narendra Modi retained the officer till his deputation period was over.
Seshadri handled the petroleum department and judicial appointments in the PMO. Sheshadri as joint collector and collector oferstwhile Rangareddy district was credited with protecting government land parcels from encroachment.
A softspoken officer yet firm in decision-making, the 1999 batch IAS official previously served as collector of Chittoor district, joint executive officer ofTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and ITDA project officer in backward Utnoor district in Adilabad in undivided Andhra Pradesh.
