Monday Mirchi : KCR still under spell of Smita Sabharwal

Officials with consummate skills cast their spell in several departments and their grip over complex administrative matters often tends to become the subject of discussions over chai, paani in office canteens. In this context, it is indeed rare for an official to fascinate a chief minister so much that he remembers and cites her acumen even after being dislodged from power. Former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao continues to draw from his memories of working with former CMO secretary Smita Sabharwal. He recently dropped her name again while making his point about how she had given him budget estimates in the initial days following bifurcation without really understanding the in and outs of fiscal management. Previously, at a press conference, he had mentioned that Smita used to helm Mission Bhagiratha very competently, unlike present-day officials. Interestingly, the opposition party continues to invoke her name for having written a significant letter to the Krishna River Management Board during her last posting in the BRS regime. Reflecting unusual prowess, the bureaucrat, despite holding a post in the loop line, continues to be in the news.