Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary S.P. Tucker, set to retire on August 31, may get an extension like his Telangana counterpart Rajeev Sharma. Sources said that AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wants to utilise the services of Mr Tucker for some more time. Mr Naidu is likely to write to the Centre requesting permission to extend the period of Mr Tucker’s service. According to sources, the CM had hinted to Mr Tucker about his extension at the time of his appointment as Chief Secretary.
Mr Naidu is said to have told Mr Tucker that he would have to work for a year. Mr Tucker was appointed as Chief Secretary on January 31 and he is to retire on August 31. That puts Mr Tucker’s service period in the post at seven months. The CM’s comments indicate extension of Mr Tucker’s period. If everything goes well, Mr Tucker will continue six more months as Chief Secretary, after August. There are four Special Chief Secretaries currently eligible for the Chief Secretary’s post. Among them, Special Chief Secretary (Rural Development Department) Dinesh Kumar and Special Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Puneetha are strong candidates for the top post. Special Chief Secretaries A.K. Parida and L.V. Subramanyam are senior than Mr Dinesh Kumar and Mr Puneetha. In fact, Mr Parida is senior than present Chief Secretary Mr Tucker.
Both Mr Parida and Mr Subramanyam are not in the good books of the Chief Minister. After retirement of I.Y.R. Krishna Rao as Chief Secretary on January 31, Mr Parida was the most senior officer eligible to get the Chief Secretary post. But CM Naidu instead appointed Mr Tucker as Chief Secretary. The CM who was not satisfied with the work of Mr Subramanyam as Special Chief Secretary (Medical and Health Department) transferred him to Youth Services Department.
If Mr Naidu changes his mind about Mr Tucker’s extension at the last minute, sources said, Mr Dinesh Kumar stands a fair chance. If so, Mr Dinesh Kumar will be Chief Secretary for about two years.
