Third Eye: Top-level advice, working with a trusted few, business of political deal-making

Batches of IAS officers keep calling on President Draupadi Murmu. One such instance was last week when IAS officers of 2022 batch, currently posted as assistant secretaries in various Union ministries and departments, met her at Rashtrapati Bhavan. While Murmu advised them about use of technology for accessibility, transparency and trust building, she also cautioned against using technology, especially social media, for 'self-publicity'.

There is a buzz that central ministers who have been retained but with a changed portfolio have decided to take most of their close staff to their new office. The non-bureaucratic staff, those who are not government servants but appointed by ministers as per the established norms from the party cadre and or due to their years of proximity to them, have accompanied some of these ministers into the new department. A regular practice in governments at the Centre and in states, this ensures that the minister concerned has his/her trusted lieutenants to carry out their work.

With Congress government in Telangana notifying appointment of K Keshava Rao as special advisor with Cabinet rank, the party circles are sensing a twist. After the octogenarian quit his BRS membership of Rajya Sabha on returning to Congress, it gave an impression that he would be nominated to the House by GoP. But with his appointment as special advisor, Congress’ Rajya Sabha hopefuls from Telangana are on the prowl. A little bird, however, says that the high command may have pressing reasons to please its pricey legal eagle Abhishek Singhvi, whose Rajya Sabha re-entry bid from Himachal was ambushed by defectors. As for ‘wily’ Rao, he may get a second deal in the form of abetter post for his politician daughter.