by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Special Report
Why Nripendra Mishra shown the door?
Had been allotted a new bungalow recently
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Sep 6
Nripendra Mishra’s offer to quit as Principal Secretary to the PM continues to baffle political observers and bureaucracy in the Lutyen's Delhi.
Its almost a week now when Nripendra Mishra put in his papers and no one has a clue as to what exactly had happened in the Prime Minister's Office. The surprise is largely because the veteran bureaucrat had been allotted 2A krishna Menon Marg bungalow in July after former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had vacated it. In fact, renovation work was at full speed in the bungalow which otherwise was completely re-done by Jaitley when he occupied it four years ago. Since Nripendra Mishra had been promoted to the Cabinet rank in June and allotted the new bungalow in July end and repair work was in full swing indicates that he had the intention to stay put in the PMO and in the Lutyen's Delhi itself.
There were also reports that the out-going Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha will either be sent to NITI Aayog or made Chief Vigilance Commissioner.
But all of a sudden, Nripendra Mishra desired to quit and the PM accepted it without blinking. The PM appointed out-going Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha as OSD in his office the same day. Mishra departure from the PMO is major development as he virtually running the show in the PMO since July 2014. The PM had even amended the law by issuing an Ordinance in June 2014 to induct him as his Principal Secretary. It was then attributed to his association with the Vivekanand Research Foundation (VRG) where he worked with Ajit Doval. In fact, Doval was the first to be brought in as the National Security Adviser in the PMO and Nripendra Mishra followed. While Nripendra Mishra focused on the state of economy and infrastructure sector, Additional Principal Secretary P K Mishra took care of transfers, posting and appointments in the government. It was in late 2018 when reports started emanating from the PMO that Nripendra Mishra will retire and P K Mishra will be elevated. Instead, the senior Mishra not only stayed on, he was re-appointed with a Cabinet rank.
Sources say that Nripendra Mishra's departure has something to do with the state of economy. The removal of hs hand-picked officer S C Garg as Finance Secretary, Sovereign Bonds controversy and fall out of the Union Budget on July 5 reported to have upset the government.
There are reports that Nripendra Mishra may be given guberantorial assignment to Goa or Karnataka.
