The Uttar Pradesh BJP unit has appointed its state MLC AK Sharma, a former IAS officer, as its state vice president.

BJP state unit’s chief Swatantra Dev Singh made the announcement of the new appointment on Saturday.

AK Sharma is also considered Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s most-trusted bureaucrat as he was handling the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) ministry’s affairs, a crucial department working under the prime minister’s plan for the revival of the economy following the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

In an official statement, Singh also announced the appointments of Archana Mishra from Lucknow and Amit Valmiki from Bulandshahr as secretaries of the state unit.

The state BJP unit also appointed Rajya Sabha MP Geeta Shakya as the president of the UP Mahila Morcha, while Pranshu Dutt, who is a state minister, has been handed over the charge of state Yuva Morcha.

On the other hand, Kameshwar Singh will take over as the president of the state Kisan Morcha.

These organisational changes come ahead of next year’s crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly election, in which the BJP will be hoping to retain power.

Who is AK Sharma?

Sharma was born in Muhammadabad area in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh on April 11, 1962. He joined the civil services after his post-graduation in 1988 and, as an IAS officer with the Gujarat cadre, his first posting was as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). In 1995, he took charge as DM Mehsana.

Before joining the CMO in 2001, Sharma was also the rehabilitation commissioner for the Sardar Sarovar project on Narmada. When Narendra Modi became the chief minister, a list of three officers for appointment to the CMO was sent and PM Modi picked Sharma.

Since, Sharma displayed a keenness in handling financial matters, he coordinated PM Modi’s pet first edition of ‘Vibrant Gujarat’, event which led to the state government signing 76 Memorandums of Understanding worth $14 billion for investment in the state.

When PM Modi took charge of the South Block office of the prime minister, Sharma was brought in from Gandhi Nagar to Delhi. PM Modi took charge on May 26, 2014 and Sharma’s appointment to the PMO was signed on May 30 and by June 3, he had taken charge as the joint secretary in PMO.

Last week, chief minister Yogi Adityanath travelled to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi after holding separate deliberations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda during his two-day visit.