Jagan's righthand officer retires, seeks no extension!

Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer K Dhananjay Reddy, who is considered to be the eyes and ears of YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, is relinquishing his service on attaining the age of superannuation.

A 2006-batch IAS officer Dhananjay Reddy, hailing from Kadapa district, has been working as additional secretary to the chief minister since Jagan came to power in 2019. 

He is actually non-cadre state civil services (Non-SCS) officer and made his way into the IAS in 2006, thanks to the patronage from Jagan’s father – Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, when he was the chief minister. 

He has grown into such a powerful officer that not a single paper moves in the CMO without his consent, say sources.

He had also dictate the postings and appointment of officers in various departments and Jagan had given him all powers.

Such was his clout that he even played a crucial role in the selection of YSRCP candidates in the just-concluded assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state, as he had the dossiers of each and every ticket aspirant.

He used to take part in every deliberation of the chief minister in the selection of candidates, sources said.

Born on May 10, 1964, Dhananjay Reddy would be completing his service on May 31, 2024, that is Friday.

Interestingly, according to sources, he did not ask for extension of service, which Jagan would have obliged without batting an eyelid.

“Had he sought the extension, it would have been done by now, as the file would move three months ago. But for his own reasons, Dhananjay Reddy did not seek extension and is quietly retiring from service, three days before the declaration of assembly results in the state,” sources said.

If the Telugu Desam Party-led NDA comes to power, Dhananjay Reddy knows that he would have no place in the service and that he might be targeted by Chandrababu Naidu. So to be on the safe side, he opted for retirement.

But if Jagan returns to power, Dhananjay Reddy may join the government as the principal advisor to the chief minister or any other key post. There is no surprise if he enters politics and is made a Rajya Sabha member, sources said.