Manoj Sinha's main task is likely to be kick-starting political activities

New Delhi: The main task for J&K’s LG-designate Manoj Sinha will be to restart the political process in the Union Territory. Known for his political acumen and administrative ability, Sinha will be the second politician to occupy Raj Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir in three decades after Satya Pal Malik. He had lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to BSP candidate Afzal Ansari in Ghazipur, which adjoins Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Varanasi constituency. Prior to this, he has won the LS polls in 1996, 1999 and 2014.

Sinha’s experience as Union minister is expected to see better coordination between the Centre and the Union Territory. The Centre’s top priority rail project to link the Kashmir Valley to New Delhi could benefit from Sinha’s presence.

“The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah rail link project is supposed to be completed before June 2022. Sinha, who was minister of state for railways from 2014 to 2019, is aware of the importance of this project,” a source close to him told ET. The source said Sinha believed in quick disposal of files. He cited the launch of the India Post Payments Bank in record time as an example.

Union home minister Amit Shah’s personal secretary Saket Kumar was Sinha’s PS when he was in the Union government. Sinha is said to have recommended Kumar to Shah. Born on July 1, 1959, in Mohanpurva village of Ghazipur, Sinha is an engineering postgraduate from IIT-BHU. Railways in Ghazipur, Ballia, Azamgarh and Mau saw several development projects during his stint.