Rahul Gandhi, the Congress vice-president who has recently put together a team of apolitical, yet highly qualified individuals who are expected to bring new ideas to the table in the run-up to the next year’s general elections. Raju’s official designation is chairman of the Congress cell on schedule castes, but in reality, the mandate for the bureaucrat from the coastal Andhra Pradesh is much beyond that. He along with a few others such as Kaushal Vidyarthee, a DPhil from Oxford University, or Alankar Sawai, formerly with ICICI Bank’s credit card division, form a team of technocrats to work closely with Congress’ prospective PM contender. As the election is coming nearer, the party’s war room located at New Delhi’s Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Road will get activated, with strategists like Raju to use it regularly.
If Raju had preferred to continue as an IAS, he would have retired only in June, 2016. But the officer took the gamble to retire early so that he can advance his political journey at least by three years. An MPhil in economic management and policy, and MBA from the Australian University of Curtin, Raju is expected to play a major role in swinging Dalit votes in favour of the Congress.
In post-YSR Andhra Pradesh, Raju became an important bureaucrat. After all, he was the principal secretary to chief minister K Rosaiah under whose regime YSR’s son YS Jaganmohan Reddy became a pariah for the Congress. He and his family were probed by multiple investigation agencies, and the aspiring chief minister was finally put behind bar.
Raju’s entry into the Congress is expected to bring back the Dalits of the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh who had shifted loyalty to Jaganmohan’s new party YSR Congress.
Only in the recent cabinet reshuffle in June, another IAS-turned politician, JD Seelam, was made an MoS in the finance ministry mainly to increase the Congress’ stake in coastal Andhra. Seelam was a 1984 batch IAS who had left the service in 1999 to join active politics. (Read: Who is JD Seelam?)
In his bureaucratic career, Raju served as the collector in districts such as Nellore and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. In the state, he had served both in rural and urban ministries before joining in chief minister’s office.
During the last three years, Raju got an opportunity to work closely with Mrs Gandhi. As one of the two top ranking officials, Raju had a direct access to 10, Janpath. In fact, the NAC headquarters is located just opposite Mrs Gandhi’s official residence, and Raju was assigned to brief Mrs Gandhi off and on.
The question now is whether this former bureaucrat will be able to impress Rahul Gandhi as well? And whether he would be able to create grassroots Dalit leaders and activists, for the party? The verdict is just a few months away.
no doubt, Mr.Raju will shine wherever he is. He is like a diamond whose characteristics does remain same irrespective of the place where it is.
ReplyDeletethe man does not know anything about the ground reaities, if its true that he is is behind SC/ST reservations in private sector, Then its very bad to people like me who is poor and also born in upper castes. Rahul should shun these caste based politics. They have already made a mistake by dividing andhra, listening to this raju
ReplyDeleteK. Raju Ias has not made any big name in AP. It z wonderment for me, how has he got into inner circle of Rahul? Knowledge of Rahul z well known and so also K. Raju.
ReplyDeleteAS a policy maker , he spoiled the existing admn systems in AP for placing his kith and kin., means he derailed the govt schemes and placed the crores of rupees in the hands of contract employees.
ReplyDeleteHe has no faith in PRIs. By derailing schemes, he weakened PRIs in AP..
ReplyDeleteBeware, He had no faith in Govt employees. He weakened the administrative systems in AP and promoted contract employees to the extent of Drawing officers in Andhra. Now he landed at Delhi to spoil the entire Administrative structures. So be cautious. He is so sweet in planning but worst in execution. His underlying theme in planning is to weaken existing systems and placing his own in key positions.
ReplyDeleteRaju is dimond i agreed but diamond is unlucky
ReplyDeleteTrue dalits should support raju to get real welfare. Raju should resolve Hissar dist dalit issue to establish confidence in dalits.
ReplyDeleteShri K Raju sir designed NREGA - SHG Movemement so many rural development schemes. Almost 50% to 70% poor people benefiting now because of Raju sir.Mr. Rahul GAndhi done good , he chose a sincere honest, a man thinks poorest of the poor definitely Rahul GAndhi will gain knowledge and real public administration from K Raju gaaru. Rahul GAndhi will ride as PM for India. No doubt. Surya, Hyderabad
ReplyDeleteShri K Raju sir designed NREGA - SHG Movemement so many rural development schemes. Almost 50% to 70% poor people benefiting now because of Raju sir.Mr. Rahul GAndhi done good , he chose a sincere honest, a man thinks poorest of the poor definitely Rahul GAndhi will gain knowledge and real public administration from K Raju gaaru. Rahul GAndhi will ride as PM for India. No doubt. Surya, Hyderabad
ReplyDeleteRaju sir is great honest person.he proved to serve the poor through many schemes.when he was working in nellore introduced many policies.till on today he is one of the best Collector in NLR dt
ReplyDelete