A senior IAS officer, considered a close confidant of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, is reportedly proving to be a tough nut to crack for political leaders who frequent the Chief Minister’s Office for lobbying.
The officer in question is Kartikeya Misra, a 2009-batch IAS officer of the Andhra cadre.
During the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy regime, Misra was on deputation to the Centre. Soon after Naidu assumed office in June last year, Misra was brought back to the state.
He was repatriated from his position as Director in the Union Finance Department and appointed as Additional Secretary to the Chief Minister. Since then, he has been considered Naidu’s eyes and ears.
Unlike during previous administrations, Misra is said to be avoiding political interference, even from leaders of the ruling Telugu Desam Party. In fact, several TDP MPs feel that Misra has become a barrier between them and the Chief Minister.
According to a party leader who had previously been with the YSR Congress Party, Misra has not been keeping the TDP MPs informed during the Chief Minister’s visits to Delhi.
“We receive no prior information about Naidu’s arrival or his itinerary in Delhi, nor are we briefed on his meetings,” the leader said.
As a result, the MPs often find themselves in awkward situations when Naidu visits Delhi and asks about scheduled programs.
“We are expected to attend meetings like dummies, with no advance notice,” another MP remarked.
One MP even alleged that Misra behaved rudely when he tried to enter the Chief Minister’s chamber in New Delhi.
“We are elected representatives, yet this officer had the audacity to shut the door in our faces,” he complained.
Some TDP leaders have drawn comparisons between Misra and another senior IAS officer, Praveen Prakash, known for his high-handed behavior during the Jagan Mohan Reddy administration.
“We all saw what happened to him. His arrogance alienated many, and in the end, he had to exit the service in disgrace,” a TDP leader said.