S Jaishankar was UPA-2’s first choice for foreign secretary

NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding Congress spokespersons’ criticism of Centre’s abrupt removal of foreign secretary Sujatha Singh, many Congress members of the Manmohan Singh UPA-2 Cabinet are privately happy about the elevation and naming of S Jaishankar as her successor. They say even UPA-2 had wanted Jaishankar to succeed Ranjan Mathai as foreign secretary, but was forced to settle for Sujatha Singh for reasons ranging from arguments about her seniority, gender justice, threats of resignations and deft political lobbying.

"I am happy for Jaishankar. He is among the most brilliant IFS officers", said a former UPA minister privately. Many say for then PM Singh and many of his Cabinet colleagues, Jaishankar was the first choice before Sujatah Singh was made FS.

They valued his experience and brilliance, amply demonstrated as a key behind the scene person (as High Commissioner to Singapore) in the Indo-US civil nuclear deal negotiations, his apt handling of border talks with China as Indian ambassador to China, etc.

But the plan hit with stiff resistance from Sujatha Singh, then senior most IFS officer and envoy to Germany who asserted the principle of seniority-based choice amid a buzz that she would resign if overlooked for the post.

Though UPA-1 had appointed Shivshankar Menon by superseding a dozen IFS offices and braving protest resignations, by 2013, UPA-2, caught in many crisis, including General V K Singh’s row, had lost the stomach to face another protest from IFS ranks.

There were also speculation that hectic lobbying reached the top echelon of Congress leadership. Sujatha Singh’s father, TV Rajeshwar, was chief of Intelligence Bureau during Indira Gandhi’s time and was given, post-retirement, gubernatorial posts by Indira and Rajiv Gandhi regimes as well by UPA-1 which sent to him to the UP Raj Bhawan.