Gujarat CM appoints 8 parliamentary secretaries
the cabinet picks, caste and regional factors came into play in selecting the secretaries - with an eye on the 2017 assembly polls.
With his future uncertain in CMO, KK stops attending office
Kuniyil Kailashnathan (a retired IAS officer of the 1979 batch) who served as the chief principal secretary to two Gujarat chief ministers - Anandiben Patel and Narendra Modi - has not been seen in the chief minister's office (CMO) after Vijay Rupani took over as the CM. Kailashnathan has held sway over the CMO for more than a decade.
Rupani has not taken a decision yet on whether to reappoint KK, as Kailashnathan (63) is popularly known. KK's absence has stirred speculation in the state bureaucracy and in the enclaves of political power. He was last seen at the swearing-in ceremony of the new CM on Sunday.
A key source who is familiar with the recent upheaval in the CMO said: "KK met Rupani on Sunday to discuss important files that are pending action. However, the CM did not seem keen to do so." The source said that the general administration department has sent a file about staff patterns at the CMO to Rupani. "The CM has not taken a call on that either," the source said.
On the very day that KK retired in May 2013, the order for his reappointment was issued by the state government, headed at the time by Modi. And the day Anandiben took over as the CM, KK's tenure was extended. All the tenure-extension orders over the past three years had been issued well in advance. So the state bureaucracy was surprised that there is uncertainty about his future this time. In fact, KK's last extension order - issued in May 2016 - had provoked intense gossip too because it had said his tenure would last "till the term of the present CM". Earlier orders merely specified a one-year term. Of course, it should be borne in mind that whenever a new CM takes over, all appointments in the CMO are made afresh.
An official who is aware of developments in the new government said: "Though there is no clarity yet, considering the fact that KK is close to Prime Minister Modi, he may eventually be reappointed in the CMO." The official said that the mishandling of the Patidar agitation and the dalit unrest had upset Modi. "But KK's skill in handling 'critical' issues may help him win back favour," the official said.
There are widespread rumours about the fate of two other key IAS officers in the CMO, S Aparna and Ajay Bhadoo.