VIJAYAWADA: As Special Chief Secretary Dr KS Jawahar Reddy is going on leave on ‘personal grounds’, it is likely that Special Chief Secretary (Energy) K Vijayanand would be appointed in his place. Orders to this effect are likely to be issued soon, sources said.
A 1992-batch officer, Vijayanand has earlier served as in-charge Chief Secretary for a brief period in the previous government.
Jawahar Reddy had on Wednesday called on TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu. It has been learnt that Naidu gave indications to the senior officer that it would be better for him to go on leave so that the new government can appoint a new Chief Secretary of its choice.
It may be pointed out that Jawahar Reddy is due to retire at the end of June. He came under severe TDP criticism for his ‘acts’ after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force in the State. The yellow party accused the bureaucrat of favouring the YSRC in many instances, including during the distribution of social security pensions and while sending an empanelled list of IAS and IPS officers to the Election Commission for their appointment in the place of officials who were relieved from election duties. TDP leaders had sought the Election Commission to remove him from the top post.
However, Reddy continued in the post till the counting of votes was completed on June 4. Later, he made a courtesy visit to Naidu as the TDP emerged victorious in the elections. Although it is not known what exactly transpired between Naidu and Jawahar Reddy during their brief meeting, the latter preferred to go on leave and sent a leave letter to the General Administration Department on Thursday.
Meanwhile, an exercise to finalise officials for the Chief Minister’s Office has begun.