Who is AK Sharma, ex- bureaucrat who retired to join BJP in Uttar Pradesh

Sharma was born in Mau district of UP

Arvind Kumar Sharma, one of the trusted bureaucrats of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has generated curiosity in political circles after he joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh on January 14, days after seeking voluntary retirement.

A 1988 batch IAS officer, Sharma has been associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he became the chief minister of Gujarat in 2001. Sharma was secretary to the then Gujarat chief minister Modi and joined the prime minister’s office (PMO) as a joint secretary when Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014.

 From CMO to PMO, a ‘Modi’s Man’

Born in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau district in 1962, Sharma did schooling from his home district before graduating from Allahabad University. He did masters in Political Science before joining the civil services in 1988. As an IAS office with the Gujarat cadre, his first posting was as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). In 1995, he took charge as district magistrate, Mehsana. In 2001, Sharma joined Modi’s chief minister’s office in Gujarat as a secretary and remained there till 2014 before shifting to the Centre.

Those who have followed Sharma closely, say that he has also been a low-profile officer and a doer who became a go-to man for CM Modi. He is said to have coordinated the ‘Vibrant Gujarat’, a biennial investor summit that played a significant role in bringing in foreign investment to Gujarat. Sharma is also said to have played a key role in getting the Tata Nano plant moved from Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat in 2008.

माननीय प्रदेश अध्यक्ष श्री @swatantrabjp जी व उप मुख्यमंत्री @drdineshbjp जी के समक्ष पार्टी प्रदेश मुख्यालय में पूर्व आईएएस अधिकारी श्री अरविन्द कुमार शर्मा जी ने भाजपा की सदस्यता ग्रहण की। pic.twitter.com/fIuH9mprWO

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— BJP Uttar Pradesh (@BJP4UP) January 14, 2021

He remained CM Modi’s secretary until 2014 when Modi became the Prime Minister. While he joined the PMO as a joint secretary in 2014, he was elevated to the additional secretary rank in 2017.

After his long stint in PMO, Sharma was, in May last year, entrusted with the charge of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) ministry, the sector affected badly due to pandemic. The ministry, headed by Nitin Gadkari, has been seen as crucial for the country’s economic revival in the aftermath of the pandemic.

He, however, sought retirement from the post of secretary in the minister last week, one-and-a-half years before his due retirement. A few days later, he took a plunge into active politics from Uttar Pradesh, where Yogi Adityanath government faces elections in 2022. With the 18 years of association with Modi and the trust he enjoys, Sharma is known as “Modi’s Man” in the corridors of power.

New role in Yogi Adityanath government?

After the induction ceremony in Lucknow in presence of UP BJP state chief Swatantra Dev Singh, Sharma said he felt honoured. “There are many political outfits in the country. I have no political connections, but such a step can only be taken by a leader like PM Modi and a party like the BJP,” he said.

Sharma is BJP's nominee for the legislative council polls on January 28. The BJP announced the names of four nominees on January 15.

भाजपा ने विधान परिषद चुनाव के प्रत्याशियों की घोषणा कर दी है। सभी को बहुत-बहुत बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं pic.twitter.com/Tt8JVQ00PW

— BJP Uttar Pradesh (@BJP4UP) January 15, 2021

BJP circles are abuzz that he might get a significant role in the Yogi Adityanath government. Rumours also say that he might replace one of the two deputy chief ministers assisting Yogi Adityanath in the government or might as well become the third deputy to the CM. Reports suggested that

Many say Sharma will be Prime Minister Modi’s ‘nominee’ in the Yogi Adityanath government in its last year now.  While time will tell his role, but that he will play an important role in UP in days to come cannot be denied.