Janus-faced officers
A few IAS officers in the state are trying to woo the opposition in their own way. Such officers think if the government does not change, their position will remain intact, because they are close to the ruling dispensation. They are making attempts to please the opposition, so that there may not be any adverse effect on them, in case the present government should be voted out. An officer is sending notes to the opposition camp giving suggestions about what strategy they should make for different constituencies to ensure the victory of their candidates. The officer is doing proper homework before sending these suggestions to avoid giving any wrong information. A senior officer is sending information to a powerful Congress leader about the government’s misdeeds to help the opposition to raise them against the ruling dispensation. An IAS officer collected constituency-wise feedback and sent it to a close aide of a senior Congress leader. This Sahib wants to get closer to the leader by giving him feedback on the government failures. Before sending information to the Congress, these officers are also weighing up pros and cons, keeping in mind that if the BJP forms the government, they may be out of harm’s way.
Freedom of choice
A Senior IPS officer deputed to the Centre is waiting for the election results. He is keeping an eye on who will be the chief minister if the BJP comes to power. If a Union Minister becomes the chief minister, the IPS officer will make efforts to return to the state. The IPS officer is on good terms with the Union Minister, so if he becomes the chief minister, the officer will make efforts to get an important position after coming back to the state. In case the present chief minister should remain in the saddle again, instead of returning to the state, he will try to get an important position at the Centre. But if the Congress wins the election, he will immediately come to the state. He has also chosen a post for himself. Sahib wants to head an probe agency for which he has made all the preparations. This officer is on good terms with a few leaders of the BJP as well as with a few politicians of the Congress.
In a dilemma
A minister and two IAS officers of a department have locked horns over some issues in the run-up to the election. The minister asked the HoD to arrange for a few things for the election. A personal assistant of the minister informed the IAS officer about the demand which shocked the officer who told the Principal Secretary (PS) of his department about it. The PS has refused to meet the demand which enraged the minister who put the acid on these two officers to supply the items he wants. The officer does not want to enter into a fight with the minister, but if he fulfils the minister’s demands, and the Election Commission comes to know of it, he may be in the soup. The HoD also thinks if the present ruling party returns to power, his problems will increase. So the officer is on the horns of a dilemma.
Wayward Ma’am
A female senior IAS officer sent to the loop line does not sign any file. When any file or any paper is sent to her, she refuses to sign it. Instead of signing, she sends the files to her subordinates. The organisation, as result, cannot take any decision on important issues. When the head of the organisation wanted to know the reasons for not signing the files, she said she was too senior to sign such files. Madam’s attitude towards work has a severe impact on the work of the organisation, but nobody can act against her. Because she has been not promoted, and because she has been sent to the loop line, she is angry with the government, and has stopped doing any work.
Putting the bee on files
It does not matter which party forms the next government, but it is sure that a large number of IAS officers will be transferred. Keeping that in mind, an officer is making all efforts to put things on the right track. The officer has half-inched many important papers as well as important files to paper over his misdeeds. The officer, on the verge of retirement, has begun to sift through all the files to square off any issue right now, because he fears lest he should get into any trouble. He has made a lot of bacon in the department, so he wants to put the bee on the irregularities he committed. Sahib has deployed an officer of his confidence to clear all the files, so that his wrong deeds may not go public. What is more, the opposition has been keeping an eye on the officer’s department, and he is worried about it.
Bitter foe
An IAS officer is pulling out all the stops to ensure the defeat of a minister in the ensuing election. Sahib has good connections in the area where the minister comes from. So he is sending out messages to his acquaintances, saying the minister should be defeated at all costs. The officer is so angry that he wants to ensure his rival’s defeat in the election, though he has nothing to do with the person fielded against the minister from the constituency. Also, there are reports that he is providing financial aid to the minister’s rival through some people. However old their rivalry may be, the officer did not get an opportunity to harry the minister, but since the election is near, the officer has found a chance to create an atmosphere against his rival, and he can hardly afford to throw it away.
