Another retired civil servant has jumped into politics. On Monday, former Tamil Nadu chief secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao took up the challenge and joined Andhra Pradesh's new political outfit called Jana Sena headed by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan. Rao was appointed a political adviser to the Sena founder Pawan Kalyan by Kalyan himself at his party office in Vijayawada.

Rao disclosed that Pawan Kalyan had asked him to join him and guide him to win. Since he saw the qualities of Jayalalithaa in him, he agreed to join him, he added

Hailing from Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, Rao retired a few months ago. The 1985 batch officer had spent his 32 years of service at various levels in Tamil Nadu. He was the secretary to the then chief minister Jayalalithaa between 2011 and 2016 and then served as the chief secretary of the state. He was removed from office in December 2017 following the allegations of Income Tax raids in his office and home. Rao was one of the close confidants of Jayalalithaa and was one among the few officers who Jayalalithaa trusted the most.

Rao’s downfall, however, began after the death of Jayalalithaa, when he came under the IT scanner. In December 2017, the Income Tax department conducted searches in his house, only to get him out of office. Subsequently, Rao who was transferred to the Entrepreneurship Development Institute, and he retired in 2018. In fact, political circles in Tamil Nadu were abuzz with gossips that Rao was consulted by an upcoming star politician in Tamil Nadu. However, Rao took to support a star from Andhra Pradesh whom he believes can bring in a change in the Telugu heartland. “He is like Jayalalithaa who has won the heart of the people of Andhra Pradesh.”