Former bureaucrat Arvind Sharma joins BJP, buzz over his role in UP politics
Arvind Sharma, who assumed the charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in April last year, took voluntary retirement from service recently ahead of his scheduled superannuation in July 2022.
Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Arvind Kumar Sharma joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lucknow on Thursday in the presence of state party chief Swantantra Dev Singh and Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma.
"I come from a backward village of Mau district in Uttar Pradesh. I was working on the post of a secretary and don't have any political background. To bring a person like me into the party, only PM Narendra Modi and BJP can do it," Sharma later told reporters.
Sharma, who assumed the charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in April last year, took voluntary retirement from service recently ahead of his scheduled superannuation in July 2022.
The central government accepted his voluntary retirement plea on Monday, when the BJP state unit was busy finalising names of candidates for the biennial election to 12 seats in the UP Legislative Council. The quick acceptance of his application for voluntary retirement has started a buzz in the BJP circles that Sharma may be sent to the Legislative Council.
Elections are being held on 12 seats and the last date for filing of nominations is January 18.
{{/usCountry}}Elections are being held on 12 seats and the last date for filing of nominations is January 18.
{{/usCountry}}Even while senior BJP leaders are maintaining a silence over Sharma’s candidature for the council, those privy to the developments on the issue said, he may be made the deputy chief minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet. Another view on his role suggests he may be given a key assignment at the Centre.
{{/usCountry}}Even while senior BJP leaders are maintaining a silence over Sharma’s candidature for the council, those privy to the developments on the issue said, he may be made the deputy chief minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet. Another view on his role suggests he may be given a key assignment at the Centre.
{{/usCountry}}Sharma is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had worked in the Gujarat government and as Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat. Sharma also served as additional secretary in the Prime Minister Office (PMO).
{{/usCountry}}Sharma is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had worked in the Gujarat government and as Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat. Sharma also served as additional secretary in the Prime Minister Office (PMO).
{{/usCountry}}A postgraduate in political science from Allahabad University, Sharma is a native of Kajha Khurd village in Muhammadabad Gohna tehsil in Mau district.
{{/usCountry}}A postgraduate in political science from Allahabad University, Sharma is a native of Kajha Khurd village in Muhammadabad Gohna tehsil in Mau district.
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