IAS is considered to be the top echelon of power. However, in the history of 76 years of independent India, only two could reach the post of chief minsiter. Though there have been large number who became cabinet ministers both at centre and states.
C S Venkatachar, an ICS, went on to become the second chief minister of Rajasthan while Ajit Jogi became the first CM of Chhattisgarh. There is Arvind Kejriwal also who is the chief minister of Delhi. He is a former officer of Indian Revenue Services (IRS), which comes under allied services.
Cadambi Sheshachar Venkatachar, who was an Indian Civil Services (ICS) officer of pre independence era, held the charge of chief minister of Rajasthan for an interim period of 3 months and 19 days.
Ajit Jogi, an IAS of 1968 batch was the second officer who was the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh when the state was created in 2000.
Interestingly both the chief ministers were nominated. After independence, Jawahar Lal Nehru nominated Heera Lal Shastri as the chief minister of Rajasthan. However, there were great opposition for Shastri within the party and Jawahar LaL Nehru decided to replace him with his trustworthy ICS officer C S Venkatacha till the time there is political stability in the party.
C S Venkatachar, who was then serving as Regional Commissioner and Advisor (Home and Finance) to the Rajpramukh of Rajasthan State , Maharaja Man Singh II, was summoned by Jawahar Lal Nehru to assume charge as the second chief minister of Rajasthan from January 6, 1951 to April 25, 1951. During this brief period he had appointed only one minister in his council that too a civil servant – Bholanath Jha.
His tenure as the chief minister was cut short as ‘politicians' in Congress raised the issue of an outsider being made the head of state. Venkatachar, who hailed from Karnataka, had to face immense political opposition and was finally replaced by a politician Jai Narayan Vyas.
But in the course, his name went down in the history as the first civil servant who could make it to the CM post.
The story of Ajit Jogi is also interesting. He was hand picked by then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Jogi was introduced to Gandhi by Arjun Singh, who as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh had great liking for Jogi. After successful stints of collectors in important districts of Raipur and Indore among few others, Jogi quit IAS and joined Congress in 1986 on prodding of Rajiv Gandhi. He was immediately made Rajya Sabha member at the age of 40.
However, he rose to prominence after he was made the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh carved out from Madhya Pradesh in November. He remained on seat till December 2003 when he was replaced by BJP's Dr Raman Singh.
Though he did not have political experience which was considered a limitation, his immense experience as government servant and intelligence made him comfortable in the role and adjust easily.
As Chief Minister he had complete grip on state affairs. Ajit Jogi was a unique person who combined politics in administration and administration in politics in his role of governing the state.
As the decision making was centralised with him, ministers had little work. His bureaucrats used to take important decisions regarding affairs of the state.
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