‘Backed’ by Nara Lokesh, IAS K. Vijayanand supersedes 6 officers to become AP’s new chief secy

In previous TDP rule, Vijayanand was instrumental in development of electronics manufacturing clusters. He brought in electronics, data centre policies, luring in some big firms to AP.

1992-batch IAS officer K. Vijayanand will assume office on 31 December 31 | X

Hyderabad: K. Vijayanand, a 1992 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) batch officer, was appointed the next chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh and will take over from the outgoing Neerabh Kumar Prasad on Tuesday.

Vijayanand, in his new role, will be superseding six senior civil servants in the state. The IAS officer, currently serving as the special chief secretary, energy department, is older than most of them age-wise though.

While CM Naidu has a good rapport with Vijayanand, sources in the AP power corridors told ThePrint, that it was his son and influential minister Nara Lokesh’s strong support that favoured the appointment, despite the odds.

In the previous Naidu rule from 2014 to 2019, Vijayanand was associated with Lokesh as the principal secretary in the IT and electronics department. Lokesh, seen as the second in command in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government, is now minister for HR, IT-electronics and real time governance.

With his superannuation due in November end next year, Vijayanand will be the state’s top bureaucrat for 11 months. His term may extend if the Chandrababu Naidu-led government chooses to, like in the case of Neerabh who remained in the post for six months after his retirement in June.

The officers Naidu overlooked while preferring Vijayanand are Yerra Srilakshmi (IAS 1988), G Anantha Ramu (1990), and four officers from 1991 batch—G. Sai Prasad, Ajay Jain, Sumita Dawra and R.P. Sisodia.

“Going by the rules, any IAS officer in the fixed grade of CS level can be appointed to the top post,” a senior official in the General Administration Department (GAD) told ThePrint.

Srilakshmi, according to bureaucratic sources, was never in the reckoning because of her association with former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. She was one of the IAS officers accused in case of Jagan’s disproportionate assets. A special chief secretary in Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD) during Jagan’s tenure, Srilakshmi is without a posting since June.

Ramu, special chief secretary in environment, forests, science and technology departments, and with tenure till June 2027, was not in consideration.

Sisodia is special CS in revenue department, with tenure till January 2028. He has a good shot at occupying the coveted seat later.

Dawra, the only officer senior to Vijayanand in age, is secretary, Ministry of Labour, in central deputation. She was an additional secretary in the Ministry of Commerce before. The civil servant will retire in March 2025, one of the factors against her in addition to her being away from the state since 2017. She was in central deputation from 2008 to 2014 too. A source said Naidu did not meet her during his New Delhi visit recently.

Jain, special CS, Housing, also has a vast experience in the energy sector. He served as MD, Genco and Transco in united Andhra Pradesh and was heading the important energy, infrastructure and investment department, during Naidu’s earlier tenure.

However, the sources said Jain had fallen out of Naidu’s favour following his statement which went against the TDP chief in the AP state Fibernet scam case. In 2023, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) named Naidu, then opposition leader, as an accused in the alleged tender manipulation, financial irregularities that occurred during the TDP rule in 2014-19.

“Jain’s statement was apparently under Jagan’s duress, and Naidu now carries no ill-will against the officer but at same time he cannot make him the CS, right?” a source in the government circle said.

Kept without posting for three months after Jagan took over in 2019, Jain was given housing later. He was also in-charge of the department of grama/ward volunteers, seen as a grassroots army raised with public funding by the YSRCP government for its political/electoral benefit.

The choices were whittled down to Sai Prasad and Vijayanand. Since Prasad has tenure till April 2026, the CM chose to go with the latter who will retire five months prior in November 2025.

After Vijayanand, Prasad, the sources said, might be the choice for the CS post, though his short remaining tenure then will be a negative factor.

Prasad was Naidu’s secretary and principal secretary from 2014 to 2019. A day after Jagan took oath as CM in May 2019, the 1991 IAS batch officer was shunted out, ordered to report to GAD. He had to wait for posting till January 2020.

Prasad, too, has vast experience in the crucial energy sector, including his stint as a joint secretary in the Ministry of Power. He was the CMD of two AP power distribution companies. He also served as Chairman & MD, AP Solar Power Corporation Pvt Ltd and Ex-Officio Special Chief Secretary to Government, Energy Department during Jagan’s tenure.

Authority on energy matters

The CS-designate hails from the YSR family pocket borough Kadapa district. His first posting, in 1993, was as assistant collector, Adilabad in present day Telangana. He later served as collector in Srikakulam and Nalgonda.

Vijayanand’s long stint with the power sector began in 2008 as joint MD, AP Transco. He served as MD, AP Genco & Chairman and MD, AP Transco later. As he has executed several big projects in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Vijayanand is an authority on electricity generation, transmission, and distribution matters.

In 2019, Jagan posted him as the Chief Electoral Officer, seen as a loop line posting, especially during the non-election period. But, given his expertise, he was brought back as special CS in the energy department in June 2022. He was then made the chairman of AP Genco in February 2022. Vijayanand, from April 2023, went on to serve as Chairman & MD, AP Transco.

During the previous Naidu rule, Vijayanand was instrumental in development of the electronics manufacturing clusters in Andhra Pradesh, according to Lokesh’s plan. The IAS officer brought in electronics, data centre policies, luring in some prominent companies to AP after Hyderabad went to Telangana.

After Naidu resumed the CM seat in June, following the NDA’s spectacular victory in the general and assembly polls, Vijayanand continued in the department.

In October, the Naidu government, under Vijayanand’s guidance, released its new Integrated Clean Energy Policy, meant to attract Rs 10 lakh crore investments and provide 7.5 lakh jobs.

Thanking CM Naidu, deputy CM Pawan Kalyan and minister Lokesh for reposing faith, Vijayanand assured his commitment to implement the government’s vision of inclusive growth and overall development, especially the backward regions and weaker sections in the society.

(Edited by Tony Rai)