Reshuffle of IAS, IPS officers reveals YSRC preparing for assembly polls

VIJAYAWADA: AP government, led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has transferred 39 IPS officers within 24 hours of a similar exercise in which 57 IAS officers had been reshuffled.

These transfers of IPS and IAS officers attain significance as they are coming a year ahead of the AP Assembly general elections. This gives a lot of scope for the ruling YSRC to implement its poll strategies.

Ruling parties of states often carry out transfers of IAS and IPS officials before facing general elections not only for smooth governance but also to have favourable officers in positions where they matter.

There are speculations that there may be early / snap polls in AP in mid or year-end of 2023. Already, main opposition Telugu Desam has geared up for facing Assembly elections. Former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has even announced candidates for some of the Assembly constituencies.

Analysts point out that the ruling parties initiate measures early to put into position officers who would do their bidding. It is known that once Election Commission of India announces polls, there can be no transfers and postings. For most things, the government will have to take permission from the ECI.

Ruling parties do not want to take chances with officers who are sticklers to rules or are hard nuts to crack. They will be shifted to an unimportant post not connected with polls. It may be recalled that L.V. Subramanyam, the then chief secretary to the government, turned out to be a big problem for the TD government. It then shifted him as director of AP Human Resources Development Institute.

The current government has to contend with senior IAS officer R.P. Sisodia, who had worked as special chief secretary to then governor Biswabhusan Harichandan. AP Government Employees Association (APGEA) leaders had lodged complaints against the Jagan Mohan Reddy government with the Harichandan. There are suspicions that Sisodia might have helped APGEA leaders to get the appointment with the Governor.

Significantly, in the latest reshuffle, Sisodia has also been shifted to AP Human Resources Development Institute.

Sources say Jagan Mohan Reddy will be keenly observing how officials are operating after the recent round of postings. If he faces difficulty from any one of them, he still has the time to replace them with other officers of his choice.