Former bureaucrat Arvind Sharma joins BJP, buzz over his role in UP politics

The central government accepted his voluntary retirement plea on Monday, when the BJP state unit was busy finalising names of candidates for the biennial election to 12 seats in the UP Legislative Council.

Shivani Arora
Published on: 14 Jan 2021 11:24 AM GMT
Former bureaucrat Arvind Sharma joins BJP, buzz over his role in UP politics
X
Former bureaucrat Arvind Sharma joins BJP, buzz over his role in UP politics

Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Arvind Kumar Sharma joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lucknow on Thursday in the presence of state party chief Swantantra Dev Singh and Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma.

"I come from a backward village of Mau district in Uttar Pradesh. I was working on the post of a secretary and don't have any political background. To bring a person like me into the party, only PM Narendra Modi. And BJP can do it," Sharma later told reporters.

Sharma, who assumed the charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in April last year, took voluntary retirement from service recently ahead of his scheduled superannuation in July 2022.

Gujarat IAS officer's voluntary retirement

The central government accepted his voluntary retirement plea on Monday, when the BJP state unit was busy finalising names of candidates for the biennial election to 12 seats in the UP Legislative Council. The quick acceptance of his application for voluntary retirement has started a buzz in the BJP circles that Sharma may be sent to the Legislative Council.

lko-bjp

Elections are being held on 12 seats and the last date for filing of nominations is January 18.

ALSO READ: Bird flu scare: UP bans birds, poultry from other states till Jan 24

Even while senior BJP leaders are maintaining a silence over Sharma’s candidature for the council. Those privy to the developments on the issue said, he may be made the deputy chief minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet. Another view on his role suggests he may be given a key assignment at the Centre.

Close to PM Modi:

Sharma is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had worked in the Gujarat government. And as Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat. Sharma also served as additional secretary in the Prime Minister Office (PMO).

ALSO READ: Makar Sankranti: Yogi Adityanath offers prayers at Gorakhnath Temple

Stay tuned with the newstrack to get fastest updates. Click @englishnewstrack to follow us on Facebook and @newstrackmedia to follow on Twitter.

Shivani Arora

Shivani Arora

Next Story