Meet Narendra Modi's core team of four bureaucrats who drive the Modi-machine

AHMEDABAD: Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, has been running his state government with a core team consisting of trusted officials and a handful of ministers.

The chief minister’s office has four IAS officers and a couple of them may make it to New Delhi if he becomes the PM.

Modi’s principal chief secretary Kuniyil Kailashnathan, a 1979 batch IAS officer, is arguably the most trusted of all. `KK’, as he is commonly known, is one of the key men behind Modi’s political maneuvers and it is through him that Modi controls the bureaucracy, according to sources.

The importance of the man can be judged from the fact that after he had retired on May 31 last year, he was promptly appointed on a contractual basis for two years as `Gujarat government’s chief principal secretary to chief minister.’ He assumed his duty on June 1.

KK is learnt to have played crucial roles strategizing the last two assembly elections in the state and has been involved in political liasoning on Modi’s behalf during 2014 campaign as well.

The other significant officer is GC Murmu, who is posted as principal secreatary to the chief minister. The 1985 batch officer has been handling the legal issues confronted by both Modi and Amit Shah.

Murmu allegedly attended a meeting at the office of Gujarat advocate general where reportedly strategies were discussed to derail the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case. Subsequently, he was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation along with another IPS officer.

It is expected that both Kailashnathan and Murmu may relocate to Delhi if Modi becomes the next prime minister.

While Modi has been projecting development as the main election plank, it is a 1988 batch IAS officer AK Sharma who has been behind building the brand image for Modi through his liasoning with the industry.

Sharma, who hai ls from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, is posted as the additional principal secretary to the chief minister.

Sharma had played pivotal roles in organizing Vibrant Gujarat Investor’s Summits and was also posted as the chief executive officer of Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board.

The junior most IAS in the chief minister’s office is Vijay Nehra. The 2001 batch IAS officer was posted as Ahmedabad district collector till last year.

Then he was transferred as the joint secretary (law and order) in the Home Department with additional charge of joint secretary at Modi’s office.

Later, his position was re-designated as additional secretary to the government in the chief minister’s office. Nehra, who reportedly share good rapport with Modi’s trusted lieutenant Anandi Patel is being groomed for more important roles, according to sources.