Bureaucratic reshuffle on the cards; BJP man posted in CM Shinde’s office

Two months after the new ministers were sworn in, the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government is gearing up for a major bureaucratic reshuffle

Two months after the new ministers were sworn in, the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government is gearing up for a major bureaucratic reshuffle.

BJP vice president Ashish Kulkarni HT Photo

In an interesting development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice president Ashish Kulkarni has been appointed as the officer on special duty in the chief minister’s office (CMO).

“Kulkarni’s appointment is to ensure a better coordination between the two ruling partners - BJP and Shinde camp - in administrative and political matters,” a senior minister from the BJP, who did not wish to be named, said.

Kulkarni was part of Fadnavis’s team that was credited for winning additional seats in the Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections in June.

In the next few weeks, officials said, the government is expected to change the commissioners of some municipal corporations, including Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.

Mumbai commissioner IS Chahal, who was appreciated for his deft handling of Covid-19, has served for more than two years. Additional chief secretary (revenue) Nitin Kareer is reportedly the frontrunner for the post.

Chahal was recently targeted by BJP MLAs over the alleged corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The state has already announced multiple inquiries into the alleged irregularities.

“Every dispensation wants the bureaucrats with whom they are comfortable with to head the civic bodies. With the municipal elections around the corner, the changes are likely to make an impact. The state leadership was not happy over the delimitation exercise carried out by the previous government,” an official from Mantralaya said. The officer said that the reshuffle is expected late next week or after Ganesh festival. It could be in two phases as well to avoid any major disturbance in administrative work, he added.

A few key departments in Mantralaya are either headless or two departments are handled by one bureaucrat.

“After additional chief secretary Bhushan Gagrani was appointed in the CMO, he is shouldering the additional charge of urban development department. Additional chief secretary [ACS] Manoj Saunik heads finance and public works departments, while ACS Nitin Gadre has been assigned the general administration department and home [appeals and security]. Principal secretary Aseem Kumar Gupta looks after relief and rehabilitation and information and technology. These officers are expected to be relieved from duty in one of their departments. If Kareer is appointed as head of the BMC, a senior IAS officer will replace him as revenue secretary,” an official from the general administration department said.

IAS officers such as Pravin Darade, Parrag Jaiin-Nenutiya, and Nand Kumar, who have served in the Fadnavis government are expected to get key positions.