Six advisors to Telangana government sacked

Hyderabad, Dec 9: In another key decision within three days after assuming office, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has sacked six advisors to the government.

Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari issued a government order, rescinding the appointments or extension of three chief advisors and three advisors.

All the advisors were appointed by the previous BRS government headed by K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

They included former chief secretaries Rajiv Sharma and Somesh Kumar, former director general of police Anurag Sharma, former IPS officer A. K. Khan, retired IES G. R. Reddy and retired IFS R. Shoba.

Rajiv Sharma was appointed chief advisor to the government in 2016 after he retired as chief secretary. He was given an extension in August this year.

Somesh Kumar was appointed chief advisor to the chief minister in May. He had taken voluntary retirement weeks after he was shifted to Andhra Pradesh following a court order.

Somesh Kumar was removed as Chief Secretary of Telangana after the High Court quashed his allotment to that state.

In August, then BRS MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh was appointed chief advisor (agriculture), apparently to pacify him after he was denied ticket to contest the November 30 Assembly election.

Former DGP Anurag Sharma has been serving as advisor (police, law & order and crime control).

K. Khan was given extension in December last year as advisor for minority welfare.

G. R. Reddy was serving as advisor (finance) while Shoba was advisor (forest affairs).