Remember former IAS officer Praveen Prakash, who was ruling the roost in the Andhra Pradesh chief minister’s officer during the regime of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and behaving like an extra-constitutional authority?
It appears senior IAS officer Kartikeya Misra, who is presently a secretary to present chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has turned out be yet another extra constitutional authority in the CMO on the lines of Praveen Prakash.
The comparison has gained traction following a recent incident at Gannavaram Airport, where Misra allegedly reprimanded senior district officials in public, sparking criticism over his conduct and style of functioning.
According to official sources, the incident occurred on Sunday during the farewell ceremony for Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, who had completed his visit to Andhra Pradesh.
After the departure of CJI, several senior officials remained at the airport lounge. At that point, Misra reportedly summoned Krishna district collector D K Balaji and questioned his attire.
Sources said Misra raised his voice and criticized the collector for wearing shoes without laces, asking why he had not worn “proper shoes” along with his formal dress.
When the collector attempted to respond casually, Misra allegedly continued admonishing him for several minutes in front of other officers.
The chief minister’s secretary then reportedly turned to Krishna district superintendent of police Vidyasagar Naidu, instructing him in Hindi to stand properly.
When the SP responded that he was already standing correctly, Misra allegedly shouted at him again in a stern tone.
Officials present at the scene were reportedly stunned by the exchange, which took place in full public view.
The controversy intensified when Misra allegedly sent a pair of lace-up shoes to the collector through courier later, a gesture many officials interpreted as humiliating.
Officials pointed out that both the district collector and SP were present at the airport strictly as part of official protocol, which requires district authorities to receive and send off the CJI during state visits.
Since the arrangements were not under Misra’s direct administrative control, some officials questioned why he chose to intervene so aggressively.
The episode has since become a topic of discussion within bureaucratic circles, with several officers privately expressing concern over what they describe as an increasingly assertive style of functioning.
The controversy has also revived memories of Praveen Prakash who wielded considerable influence during the previous YSR Congress Party government. He was believed to have become an informal power centre within the bureaucracy.
His proximity to the political leadership reportedly allowed him to exercise significant influence over administrative decisions, often dictating terms to fellow IAS officers and even political leaders.
Many officials now see similar patterns emerging in Misra’s functioning. Within bureaucratic circles, he is believed to enjoy close access to Naidu’s son and state IT minister Nara Lokesh.
This proximity to the political leadership may be contributing to his assertive behaviour within the administrative hierarchy.
In the past, too, Misra’s conduct has been controversial. When he served as West Godavari district collector during the previous government, he was involved in a widely discussed incident in which he allegedly used abusive language against a tahsildar during a teleconference.
The controversy eventually led to his transfer as labour commissioner, after which he moved to central deputation.
More recently, Misra was also reported to have had a confrontation with Nandyal MP Byreddy Shabari during the chief minister’s visit to Delhi. He allegedly asked her to go out, when she came to meet Naidu.
Despite past controversies reaching the CMO, officials say the latest episode suggests that Mishra’s conduct remains unchanged.