Top Gujarat cadre IAS officer AK Sharma joins BJP before MLC polls; considered close to PM

Gujarat cadre IAS officer Arvind Kumar Sharma, who recently took voluntary retirement from the service, joined the BJP in Lucknow on Thursday. According to media reports, AK Sharma, a 1988 batch officer from Mau district in Uttar Pradesh, is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had worked with him in Gujarat.

'AK Sharma welcomed in the BJP family'

Sharma joined the party in the presence of state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma at the party headquarters in the state's capital. In a tweet, Swatantra Dev Singh welcomed Sharma into the party. 

"Today former IAS officer Arvind Kumar Sharma was welcomed in the BJP family. The party will definitely get new impetus with Sharma's capabilities and dedication who has been associated with the ideology of sabka saath, sabka vikas'," he said.

Sharma had expressed his desire to work for the BJP and will be joining the party, BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan had said earlier in the day. Soon after his BJP welcome, the former IAS officer tweeted his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sharma joins the BJP at a time the party is finalising candidates for elections to the 12 seats of the Legislative Council on January 28. The last date for the filing of nominations is January 18. Asked if Sharma could be made a candidate, Chandra Mohan told PTI that the names are decided by the central leadership.

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AK Sharma had worked with Narendra Modi from 2001 to 2020. He initially worked in the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office and later in the PMO. Sharma held the charge of the secretary (MSME) at the Centre before taking the voluntary retirement, sources said, adding that he had his schooling from Mau and did postgraduation from Allahabad University.

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(With PTI inputs)