P K Sinha's designation of Principal Advisor puzzles

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

P K Sinha's designation of Principal Advisor puzzles 

Bureaucrats see a Reason 

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Sep 16

Nothing is without a logic in the NaMo administration and puzzled top bureaucrats at the Centre have realized it now. The PM coined a new designation of Principal Advisor for P K Sinha while appointing him in the PMO. The designation is unheard of in the PMO for the past 70 years and people are still guessing why. While Dr P K Mishra's elevation as Principal Secretary was on expected lines, P K Sinha's appointment continues to baffle as there are many firsts.

Sinha is probably the first Cabinet Secretary to be moved to the PMO after serving for more than four years in the position. Insiders in the know of things in the government say that Cabinet Secretary is the senior most bureaucrat in the hierarchy and he could not have been made Additional Principal Secretary under Dr P K Mishra in the PMO.

Since the PM had decided to shake up the PMO, he needed a senior bureaucrat known for his integrity. After holding the highest post in bureaucracy, he could have been designated only as Principal Advisor.

This is how the PM showed his innovative skills and became unconventional and named Sinha as Principal Adviser. Secondly, drafting Sinha in the advisory role would provide him a wide canvas to give his advice to the PM on policy, implementation and coordination with different ministries and department. His role would not be restricted to merely infrastructure as was earlier whispered. Secondly, it would rule out any possibility of who is number One or Number two in the PMO.

Both, PK Mishra and PK Sinha would work together without stepping into the territories and domain of each other. Of course, P K Mishra would continue to handle the sensitive appointments as in-charge of the ACC. All files will be routed through P K Misha and there will be single line of command. Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser, to the PM has his role cut out. But even he will now have to adjust to a new system.

It is also learnt that Bhaskar Kulbe who is functioning as secretary to the PM and reporting to P K Mishra may get a fresh term. His extended term is ending on September 30 this year. It is likely that his term be extended co-terminus with the PM or earlier whichever is earlier.

Ends

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

NSA Doval given Cabinet Rank, 5 year term

Principal Secretary Mishra keeping fingers crossed

P K Mishra may be promoted

Shake up in PMO likely

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first move to restructure the PMO by granting Cabinet status to his most trusted lieutenant Ajit Doval cabinet status and five more years as the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Since the posts of the NSA, Principal Secretary Nripendra Mishra and Deputy Principal Secretary P K Mishra are co-terminus with the tenure of the PM, the first order was issued giving second term to Doval and a promotion.

With this promotion an anomaly has also been ratified as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is 1977 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) while Doval is 1968 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS). In a major over-haul of the foreign affairs ministry, Modi decided to bring an expert from outside who had joined the TATA on a big salary two years ago. Modi decided not to induct Sushma Swaraj into his team of Top 4 for some unexplained reasons and brought Jaishankar who didn't have too cordial a relationship with her.

Thus giving Cabinet rank to Doval, Modi has recognised his contribution in the national security domain. In the reporting apparatus, Doval is equivalent to the status granted to Home Minister Amit Shah and S Jaishankar though technically both of them are senior in Order of Precedence. With the induction of heavyweight Amit Shah into the Home Ministry, the role of Ajit Doval in internal security affairs will obviously be advisory only. The Intelligence Bureau's first point of reporting will be Home Minister and not the NSA. Similarly, Jaishankar is an old hand in foreign affairs where Doval's role will be much reduced.

Now all eyes are set on the next announcement of Nripendra Mishra who is also hoping for an extra five year term. However, insiders in the PMO say that prospects of his continuation are not bright and he may be made a Governor later. P K Mishra, deputy Principal secretary, who is loyalist and man of high integrity may be promoted, these sources say.

Ends 

Midnight coup in CBI,

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Midnight coup in CBI,

PM sends Director, No. 2 packing finally,

Junior-most Nageshwar Rao made Director

Verma goes to court, Asthana sulks

New Delhi, Oct 24

It was a midnight coup at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters never witnessed before when the newly appointed director, M Nageshwar Rao landed there  accompanied by a police convoy to take charge.

The 1986 Odisha cadre officer who hails from Telangana, headed the 11^th floor office of Alok Verma to take charge. There was no one to give him the charge as all top bosses had been sent on forced leave by the government on the recommendations of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

When Verma and his number two Rakesh Asthana went to the CBI headquarters in the morning, they were stopped from entering. While Verma went to the Supreme Court to challenge his ouster, Rakesh Asthana went home sulking. The SC will hear the case on Friday.

The Cabinet Committee of Appointment (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister had issued the order at 11.45 pm yesterday asking Rao to take over the “duties and functions of CBI director with immediate effect.” The decision was taken by the PM at 11.30 pm and the file was sent by hand to the residence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh who is also a member of the ACC. Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the PMO, had asked Rao earlier to be ready to leave for an important assignment at a short notice. He had no clue what that assignment will be. But all hell broke within the next 30 minutes when the official order was put out making him the new director during the period of “subsistence.” Interestingly, there is no order till now on the website of the DoPT divesting Alok Verma of the charge of the CBI and sending him on leave. However, Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana were informed about their "compulsory leave" through official messengers.

In a bizarre move, the police personnel of the Delhi Police cordoned off the CBI building at 12.30 am and around 1.45 am, M Nageswar Rao came escorted by a police convoy to take charge. The stories that Rao sealed Verma's office are baseless as all the files are being scanned in the room. A new team of officers has been deputed to probe all pending cases. Nageshwar Rao removed Verma's most trusted officer Additional Director A K Sharma from all the cases. Manish Sinha who is Sharma's junior was also sent packing.

It now transpires that K V Chowdary, Chief Vigilance Commissioner, held a marathon meeting on Tuesday with his two colleagues; Sharad Kumar and M K Bhasin and sent their recommendation to the PM that both the top officers be sent on compulsory leave immediately. 

Chowdary had been asked by the Prime Minister's Office last week to step after efforts to find a solution by NSA Ajit Doval and deputy Principal Secretary P K Mishra failed. It may be mentioned that Nageswar Rao had joined the CBI in 2016 as joint director before his stunning rise as its interim director.

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3-member committee to oversee political appointments

Modi placates RSS

Bhagwat to review Govt.’s  performance

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

In a significant development, the RSS and ruling BJP have evolved a new mechanism to meet the growing aspirations of thousands of party workers who loop up to the Modi government for suitable rewards.