Opposition matters in postings of bureaucrats
Bureaucrats are supposed to be apolitical in their approach to administrative matters. But for the administration per se, that is from the standpoint of the ruling party, every politician in the family of a bureaucrat counts. Therefore, if the politico concerned in a bureaucrat’s family is not from the ruling party, the AIS officer may be kept waiting indefinitely for posting. The corridors of power in Telangana are abuzz with hushed talk that two women IAS officers whose family members belong to opposition parties have been kept waiting for posting for more than a year now. Shailaja Ramaiyer is wife of Sridhar Babu, Manthani Congress MLA. He was appointed as AICC secretary of Karnataka in 2022 and a few months after that Shailaja was removed from handlooms and not given posting. Now with the Congress winning the Karnataka Assembly elections, Shailaja might have to wait longer than expected. Likewise, Harichandana Dasari’s father Dasari Srinivasulu is a member of BJP and retired IAS officer whose named surfaced during the Tirupati bypoll. Subsequently, Harichandana was not given any posting.
When suspended officials turn informers
Bandi Sanjay’s tirade against IPS officer A V Ranganath, following the BJP TS unit chief’s dramatic arrest in the TSPSC paper leak case, has a new angle to it. The politician had made accusations of land grabbing, among others. A little bird told us that Ranganath feels this could be the handiwork of certain officials whom he had suspended in course of duty during his various postings. These suspended cops have apparently ganged up and turned informers. They have tipped the BJP state president with a lot of information prejudicial to the Warangal Commissioner of Police. It appears that the tussle is not going to end anytime soon.
When ‘power’ to see is inversely proportional to power to act!
“Lately, the power has increased: Ohh! NOT of the individual, but of her glasses”, read a Twitter post by Pamela Satpathy Collector Yadadri. The corridors of power could not agree more with the 2015 batch IAS officer’s subtle searchlight on the ground realities. A little bird told us that the IAS officers are so powerless even en masse that their association couldn’t write a letter condemning the release of Anand Mohan, the don-turned-politician in Bihar who had been serving life term for provoking a mob into lynching Krishanaiah, a Dalit IAS officer. Speculations are rife that may be the Chief Minister did not agree to any such move. No wonder, this strange attitude of Telangana bureaucrats is reflected even in their lukewarm response to fund-raising initiatives in support of Krishnaiah’s family for launching a legal battle. Well, as the officials start ‘seeing’ clearly, they know for sure that real power is in the hands of chosen few.
‘Intelligence’ wall between Nagi Reddy and CP post
At times, discerning circles watch in disbelief how ‘intelligence’ inputs scuttle an official’s chances of elevation in career. During a recent major rejig of IPS officers, Y Nagi Reddy was posted as D-G of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services. Grapevine has it that the official had been angling for the post of Commissioner of Police — of either Cyberabad or Rachakonda. His name in fact surfaced both the times when the reshuffle was on the cards. A little bird told us that, based on ‘intelligence’ reports, the Chief Minister took a decision to move him as D-G. For, the reports did not favour him becoming CP. However, there are whispers in the corridors of power that many governments which had relied completely on intelligence reports have not been invariably successful.
Choosing between salary and pension
Getting salary in time is important for babus in service. Likewise, post retirement, getting pension smoothly is equally vital. Rarely do babus face a situation where they need to choose between salary and pension. Former TS Chief Secretary and retired senior IAS officer Somesh Kumar had made himself indispensable while serving the Telangana government before moving briefly to Andhra Pradesh on court orders. Somesh Kumar, because of his special bonds with Telangana and its Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, did not work even a single day for the Andhra Pradesh government. Saving money for the AP government, he had sought voluntary retirement after joining service in Andhra Pradesh. So, the AP government needs to pay him pension, though he did not serve in the state. Now that the Telangana government has brought Somesh back as the Chief Minister’s chief advisor with cabinet rank, the senior official can claim either pension from the AP government or salary from the Telangana government. Somesh may opt to draw salary from the Telangana government. Thus, he would be saving money again for the AP government.
-Yours truly
