The retired Special Chief Secretary PV Ramesh Kumar, in a recent interview with a Telugu channel, made a claim regarding an IAS officer’s role in preventing Andhra Pradesh from receiving special status.
According to his statements, the current situation of a divided Andhra Pradesh with financial challenges and lacking a capital city is partly due to the Center’s failure to grant special status to the state. This issue has often been attributed to the lack of support from Congress and BJP.
In his interview, PV Ramesh Kumar pointed out Rajat Bhargava, who serves in the position of AP Revenue Special Chief Secretary, as a key figure in this matter. Rajat Bhargava is originally from Uttar Pradesh but belongs to the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
He previously worked as the Personal Secretary to Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet. He was also a Joint Secretary in the Budget Department of the Union Finance Ministry during the state bifurcation.
As part of the promises made during the state’s division, various officials, including PV Ramesh, engaged in significant discussions with central officials regarding special status.
PV Ramesh claimed that Rajat Bhargava was absent from a crucial and pivotal meeting concerning special status, which played a role in the subsequent lack of decision on the matter by the Central Planning Commission.
PV Ramesh’s perspective is that if Rajat Bhargava had attended the aforementioned meeting or had delegated a representative from his office, it might have led to a different outcome and a decision in favor of granting special status.
PV Ramesh’s remarks suggest that special status for Andhra Pradesh could have been achieved without having to rely on external support or decisions.
It’s important to note that these are the statements of PV Ramesh Kumar, and the veracity of these claims may require further investigation and context to fully understand the role of various officials in the complex issue of special status for Andhra Pradesh.
