Monday Mirchi : Bureaucrats-turned-strategists

Politicians, when in power, get to pick and choose bureaucrats; usually from among those who are pliable, competent and known for unthinking obedience. But it is vice versa when they are not in power, with the sole criterion for babus to latch on to netas being proximity to power centres or potential power points. In an interesting development, some retired bureaucrats have turned strategists for politicians in Telangana. Aspiring candidates too are keen on engaging the services of bureaucrats with hands-on knowledge of things that matter at the hustings. What is even more interesting is that such in-demand officials have no qualms about the party they are working for. A little bird told us that a senior official, who had ruled the roost in the erstwhile K Chandrasekhar Rao regime, is now a strategist for a Congress candidate. Well, now the discussion in bureaucratic circles is whether it is backstabbing or making the most of available opportunity. One good thing in this cat and mouse game is that bureaucrats are getting a chance to pick their new boss and get back at their ex-boss.