Lucknow, Sept. 25 -- Arvind Kumar Sharma, former Gujarat-cadre IAS officer and now Uttar Pradesh's minister for energy and urban development in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, was known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's man when he entered the political arena, joining the BJP in Lucknow in January 2021. Speculation was rife about his role in UP, with many even projecting him as a future chief minister back then. Known for rarely giving interviews, Sharma spoke candidly to Hindustan Times.

Q: You had a long career as a bureaucrat before entering politics. How smooth or challenging has this transition been for you?

A: I moved to the chief minister's office in 2001 when Narendra Modi became Gujarat's CM. The office was a hub of visitors, incl...