Hyderabad: The race for Telangana’s next Chief Secretary has gathered momentum following the repatriation of senior IAS officer Sanjay Jaju to the Telangana cadre. The development comes at a crucial time, with the tenure of current Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao set to conclude on June 30.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the return of Mr. Jaju, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Telangana cadre, from the Centre. He was serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and has spent more than 15 years on central deputation.
His return has triggered fresh speculation within administrative circles about the state’s top bureaucratic position. While no official announcement has been made regarding the appointment of the next Chief Secretary, Mr. Jaju’s repatriation is being closely watched given the timing of the move.
An experienced administrator, Mr. Jaju has held several important positions during his career. Before moving to the Centre, he served as Commissioner of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad and held key assignments as District Collector of West Godavari and Commissioner of Visakhapatnam.
Meanwhile, two other senior 1992-batch IAS officers are also considered strong contenders for the post. Jayesh Ranjan, currently serving as Special Chief Secretary for Metropolitan Area and Urban Development, also holds additional responsibilities related to Sports and Tourism. Another senior officer, Vikas Raj, is serving as Special Chief Secretary in the Transport, Roads and Buildings Department.
With the current Chief Secretary’s tenure nearing completion and no formal proposal for a further extension reported so far, attention is now focused on the state government’s next move. The decision is expected to shape Telangana’s administrative leadership at a time when several key development and governance initiatives are underway.
Officials and political observers alike will be watching closely as the state prepares for a transition at the highest level of its bureaucracy.