Happy
The chief minister seems to have again turned the admirer of a senior officer, with whom his relations were strained for almost the past one year. The chief minister is showering fulsome praises on the officer at almost every meeting. The top boss was very upset with the officer in the wake of the peasants’ agitation and it was even said that he was looking for his replacement. But now things seem to have undergone a sea change. One of his colleagues is said to have played a key role in helping the officer win the confidence of the chief minister. The Babu is, of course, very indebted to his benefactor, who is a close confidante of the chief minister and has a major say in the decisions of the government. The RSS also had a role in bringing about this change. It was conveyed to the chief minister by the RSS that a particular department was mainly responsible for the resentment among the farmers. The officer was mandated with improving the working of the department and the results were encouraging. The RSS bosses have also conceded that there had been drastic improvement in the situation. Now, his colleagues are saying that the officer would continue to be in the good books of the chief minister till his retirement and was sure to grab a sinecure thereafter.
Shadow
Professional matters do cast a shadow on one’s personal life. And that is more than evident in the case of an IAS couple. The wife is occupying a key position while the hubby has little to do.
Despite his best efforts, he has failed to persuade the powers that he be allotted some work of consequence. The officer, known for his affable nature, has turned irritable and is venting his frustration on his wife. Though both have their offices in the same building but they are rarely seen together. The chief minister is not happy with the functioning of the department headed by the hubby and off and on, he gets an earful in official meetings. That has only added to the frustration of the officer. He has served in the department for long and wants to be moved out. He enjoys a squeaky clean image and cannot comprehend as to why the government is reposing its faith more in his wife, who, incidentally, is known for her obduracy.
Woman-lover
Though some IAS officers are known for their undue interest in the members of the fairer sex, but they take care to ensure that their sexual peccadilloes do not become public knowledge. But then, one cannot be on the guard always. It so happened that a retired officer recently posted some vulgar pictures on a WhatsApp group of journalists. The ex-bureaucrat is lobbying hard for appointment as Information Commissioner and he soon realised that his indiscretion may cost him dear and immediately left the group. But that has not stopped others from talking about his filthy mind. A large number of police officers are also members of the group and that has added to the problems of the retired officer. The incident, of course, has exposed his true face. The ex-babu, who had retired from the post of principal secretary, was considered a thorough gentleman and no one had any inkling of his interest in porn.
Tit for tat
An IPS officer, some time back, managed to settle old scores with his minister. During the transfer season, the minister, bypassing the officer, had got the transfer list released directly at the government level. The list kicked up a big furore but the minister refused to budge and did not agree for any changes. The cop, who was waiting for an opportunity to hit back, got it when the minister fell ill just before the passing out parade of new recruits of to the department. She wanted that the event should be postponed till she was up and about. But the officer directly contacted the CM office and the function was held in the absence of the minister. The minister is upset but can say little as the chief minister did the honours at the event. The minister is passing through a bad patch. She may be shown the door in the upcoming reshuffle of the council of ministers. And there is no possibility of her being fielded by the party in the next assembly elections. No wonder, the officers have already started taking her lightly.
Return
An IAS officer, who was placed under suspension after a series of unsavoury events rocked the state, is still waiting for his achhe din. A proposal for his reinstatement has been presented before the CM twice by a senior officer but it was turned down. The senior man tried his best to convince the chief minister but the latter is not ready to reinstate the officer for fear of media trial. The officer has paid obeisance at scores of religious shrines seeking divine intervention. He has also availed of the services of Tantriks. But lady luck is refusing to smile on him. The senior officer’s sympathies for the suspended man are partly because of caste solidarity. He does not know what to do.
Cautious
A secretary-level IAS officer, who until not long back, was going hammer and tongs against the government from public platforms, has suddenly fallen silent. He has distanced himself from a woman IAS officer, with whom he had forged a joint front, ever since the lady’s services were terminated. Now, even if anyone asks him about her, he changes the topic. He is also steering clear of many organisations, lest he be charged with being anti-government. A senior officer, who has sympathies for him, has persuaded him to keep mum. The senior man has even managed to persuade the chief minister to allow his promotion, which is long overdue. But he is still very angry with an ACS and cannot stop himself from pouring scorn over him at the first available opportunity.
