Published Jun 29, 2026 | 8:31 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 29, 2026 | 9:58 AM
Having laid out the vision on many fronts, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu cannot afford delays.
Synopsis: Chandrababu Naidu has three other key men in his office. With Rs 23-lakh-crore worth of commitments waiting to be translated into projects, the CMO cannot afford to lose time in ensuring meticulous follow-up and smooth clearances.
With the top bureaucrat in the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) out of action on health grounds, all eyes are now on the expected rejig of the roles in the most important office in the Nara Chandrababu Naidu government.
Senior IAS officer K Vijayanand, ex-officio special chief secretary to the Chief Minister, suffered a brain stroke and was hospitalised some days ago, it is reliably learnt. The hospitalisation has not become public knowledge so far.
According to informed sources, Vijayanand’s recovery is expected to take at least a couple of months. Even if he returns to work immediately after that, it may not be possible for him to take the full load that a leader of the CMO is expected to.
Vijayanand served as the Chief Secretary of the state and was appointed to the CMO soon after his retirement in February 2026.
As head of the CMO, the 1992-batch IAS officer has been handling all key assignments, including Energy, transfers and postings of bureaucrats, Revenue and Home.
Given Vijayanand’s health condition, Naidu now needs to quickly reassign the roles to ensure that the operations of CMO are not disrupted, considering the frenetic activity, particularly in securing investments and implementing various poll promises.
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The CMO has two other key officials—AV Rajamouli of the 2003 batch and PS Pradyumna (2004).
An officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre with a clean reputation, Rajamouli is, however, seen more as a status quoist. He is not the kind of officer that Naidu generally turns to—not one who can come out with a vision and execute it with perfection and speed. He can play the role of a gatekeeper well, but not beyond.
In contrast, Pradyumna has the reputation of being a man of execution. In the last two years, this bureaucrat has been known to have come out with some innovative ideas that have made it to the government’s agenda. A case in point is the proposed Quantum Valley in Amaravathi, which has now become a topic of discussion at national and internal levels.
The third officer in the CMO is Kartikeya Mishra, who is largely seen as inaccessible and not amenable to suggestions. Apart from being junior to both Pradyumna and Rajamouli, Mishra, who belongs to the 2009 batch, is not seen in the government’s ecosystem as one who can be entrusted with key tasks. He also got into unwanted spats on occasions, leading to controversies.
In the two years since his party came to power, Naidu has laid out the vision in many areas, including reforms in energy, notably renewable energy. There are then multiple government schemes that require flawless implementation if the NDA government is not to face anti-incumbency by the time it completes the present term in 2029.
More importantly, what remains is bringing to fruition the Rs 23-lakh-crore worth of commitments that Andhra Pradesh has received since Naidu took over. Meticulous follow-up and removal of obstacles are needed to ensure that these commitments turn into actual investments and execution. This is where the CMO plays a critical role and having officers who have the drive and energy to push the bar becomes critical as execution is the goal for the next three years.
Naidu is expected to take a call on the roles to be handled by his team in the coming few days.
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(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
