Retired IAS officer Praveen Prakash, who called the shots and behaved like a supreme power centre during the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy regime in Andhra Pradesh, is trying to put up an innocent face, saying what he had done during his stint in the CMO was just to obey the orders of the then chief minister.
“The chief minister is the head of the executive and no IAS officers in the present system can defy his orders. All files need the chief minister’s approval,” Praveen Prakash said.
In a freewheeling interview with ABN Andhra Jyothy managing director Vemuri Radhakrishna on Sunday, Praveen Prakash said he had not acted on illegal political directions and described himself as an “employee with limits.”
Responding to criticism that he enabled political overreach — including painting state buildings with ruling party colours, Praveen Prakash, who took voluntary retirement soon after the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition came to power last year, said bureaucrats operate with institutional constraints.
“I am just an employee. There are limits. The cabinet functions like a board of directors. We must run checks and balances that align with the political system,” he said.
He, however, rejected the allegation that he had ruined administration to please the chief minister.
He said no chief minister, even if it was Jagan Mohan Reddy or present chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, would tell any IAS officer to do this or face transfer.
Prakash insisted his voluntary retirement (VRS) was not triggered by fear of future action. He said his parents and wife were unhappy with the decision but he has “no regrets.”
He added that he did try to withdraw VRS within three months, but was told then Chandrababu Naidu was “very angry” with him.
On his confrontation with then chief secretary L V Subrahmanyam, who was transferred from the post unceremoniously in 2019, Praveen Prakash said he had to follow the instructions of Jagan who was not happy with Subrahmanyam sitting over certain files.
He said Jagan wanted rapid execution of Nadu-Nedu and Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), including specific postings such as full charge to Poonam Malakondaiah and bringing a technical hand from Telangana. But the files were held up at the chief secretary level.”
“The chief minister had taken a decision; it had to be implemented. When the CS refused to move the files, as GAD Additional Chief Secretary I issued the GOs. After that, the chief secretary did not come to meet Jagan,” he said.
Asked why he had violated the National Building Code to argue against painting government buildings in party colours, Prakash reiterated hierarchy: “In a parliamentary system, the CM is the head of the executive. Every Secretariat file needs the CM’s approval.”
He, however, said that if 50–60 IAS and IPS officers stand firm, no chief minister would dare cross the line.
“If a CM says ‘paint party colours,’ IAS officers should clearly write that the rules don’t permit it,” Praveen Prakash added..
