UP transfers chief secretary Jawed Usmani, tipped for top central role

LUCKNOW: In a day of fast-paced developments, the Uttar Pradesh government transferred chief secretary Jawed Usmani and appointed Alok Ranjan in his place. Usmani is tipped to be the new cabinet secretary in the BJPled NDA government, though this could not be immediately confirmed. Incumbent cabinet secretary Ajit Seth is due to retire on June 13 and a successor to the post is usually named a fortnight in advance.

Usmani is a front-runner for the post due to his experience in serving in three prime minister’s offices (PMO). He has also been joint secretary in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee PMO. The Samajwadi Party, after its rout in the recent Lok Sabha polls, has launched an overhaul of the party organization and bureaucracy.

The state unit of the party has been dissolved and 36 leaders appointed as chairmen of various corporations were removed by chief minister Akhilesh Kumar Yadav as part of a stock-taking exercise after the poll drubbing. Usmani’s removal, however, is not seen as part of this damage control exercise and he has probably been transferred to pave the way for the crucial central posting.