Sanjay Jaju has been approached to return in 2023 alone

Newly appointed Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju was approached soon after the formation of the Congress government and was offered the post of Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister.

So it is not a surprise or a sudden decision to bring him to Telangana. It represents the culmination of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s efforts that began soon after the Congress assumed office in December 2023.

Highly placed sources said the officer, who was then serving in New Delhi, was not interested in returning to the state at this stage as he was serving in key departments at the national level.

According to sources, Mr. Revanth Reddy’s preference for Mr. Jaja was mainly driven by two reasons. The first was the officer’s extensive experience in New Delhi over the past 12 years, where he handled key assignments at the Center and developed a deep understanding of the workings of the Union government.

Equally important, sources said, was his network within the central government, which the chief minister believes would help Telangana facilitate coordination with various ministries. The Chief Minister considers this necessary to achieve the speed with which he intends to implement large infrastructure and development projects.

Another factor that weighed in favor of Mr. Jaju was his long absence from Telangana after the creation of the state in 2014. Having spent more than a decade in New Delhi, he remained largely detached from the state’s political and bureaucratic set-up.

Officials said this gave him a distinct advantage as he returns without being identified with any political party or faction. In a bureaucracy that has often been viewed through a political lens since Telangana’s inception, his extended central deputation has helped him avoid such a perception.

Mr. Jaju is no stranger to the Congress, having served in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh when the party was in power. During this period he was considered to be acquainted with several senior Congress leaders from his home state of Madhya Pradesh.

Sources said the government believes that Mr. Jaju’s administrative experience, familiarity with the Congress leadership and lack of local political baggage would make him well-suited to coordinate between the state and the Center supporting the agenda of the Chief Minister’s administration.

Published – 26 Jun 2026 19:54 IST