Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s supposed 72nd trip to New Delhi last week had little to do with cabinet matters or a customary briefing to the All India Congress Committee leaders. The CM’s two-day trip had a single agenda: to have Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) secretary Sanjay Jaju’s file cleared for repatriation to his home state Telangana.
According to sources in the CM’s office and the BJP, Jaju was a clear favourite of both Reddy and the Centre despite other Telangana ministers and bureaucrats pushing for senior IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan’s elevation as chief secretary of the state.
Jaju was announced as chief secretary just a day after the CM’s return from Delhi, an appointment that left not just Ranjan but at least half the bureaucracy sulking.
With Revanth ordering mass transfers of dozens of officers across Telangana, state officials were looking forward to Ranjan’s ascension, hoping that he could push back. However, Jaju was picked because of his proximity to the Centre, given that he spent nearly 14 years on central deputation.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders fight it out
Differences between Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Bhaskar Jadhav and Milind Narvekar are out in the open, with both airing grievances in the media.
On the foundation day celebrations of the party on 19 June at Mumbai’s Shanmukhanand Hall, while Jadhav was giving an interview outside the venue, Narvekar’s car came by. Disturbed by its repeated honking, Jadhav said on the mic: “Who is this Milind Narvekar? Is he some big shot?”
In an apparent response days later, Narvekar took to X and, tagging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, wrote: “Frustration. CM Fadnavis, please implement Uddhavji’s (party leader Uddhav Thackeray) letter as soon as possible; because… mental distress is being taken out against ordinary Shiv Sainiks like us.”
He was referring to the leader of opposition post in the Maharashtra Assembly that the Shiv Sena (UBT) is demanding for senior MLA Jadhav and which the government has not yet considered.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
Also Read: Another NTR grandson set for entry into TDP & who’s writing Om Prakash Rajbhar’s social media script