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| All set for Kundal’s crowning, Phunsog may follow | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | June 1
On Friday afternoon when he signed the last file in his civil secretariat chamber, he was the most powerful bureaucrat –and after the weekend break, on Monday he will be still much powerful armed with political power and a bigger protocol.
As the last minute arrangement have been made for swearing in of the outgoing Chief Secretary as a Cabinet Minister, BR Kundal is certainly not the last surprise switchover from bureaucracy to politics in this election year. Sources said that another top bureaucrat (who recently retired from active service) is also all set to make a political foray by joining the Congress party.
In Srinagar, invitation cards have been issued and all arrangement have been made for swearing in of BR Kundal as a Minister in the Ghulam Nabi Azad cabinet. The Hospitality and Protocol department has put in place arrangements at the Raj Bhawan and a room has been decked up for Kundal in the civil secretariat building where he will be sitting as a Minister on Monday afternoon.
Kundal's resignation had earlier been accepted by the government and S S Kapur has been appointed as the new chief secretary of the state, according to official sources. Kapur’s name, however, will be officially cleared in the Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning.
Speculations are still rife over the allotment of portfolio to Kundal. Reliable sources said that Kundal in all certainty may get the Revenue department which is currently being held by the Chief Minister. However, another source asserted that he is likely to be assigned power portfolio which is currently being looked after by Minister of State Babu Singh who holds independent charge. In case Kundal gets Power department then a minor reshuffle in the portfolios of some Ministers belonging to the Congress party is imminent, the sources pointed out.
Meanwhile, sources said that another top bureaucrat Chhewang Phunsog is also all set to take a political plunge and join the Congress party. A predecessor of Kundal in bureaucracy, Phonsog had retired from the post of Chief Secretary in October last year.
Upon his retirement, he was appointed as Advisor to the Chief Minister –a purely political post carrying the rank and protocol of a Minister of State. A high integrity and low profile IAS officer, Phunsog enjoys a huge respect in Leh where the Congress is faced with stiff competition in the forthcoming elections.
Sources said that the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is keen to induct Phunsog into Congress to brighten the party prospects in Ladakh. Phunsog may not be told to contest elections as is the case with Kundal but he may be asked to work for the party in elections.
Congress is facing a stiff competition in Leh. The Minister for Industries Nawang Rigzin Jora, who had contested and won 2002 assembly elections as an independent candidate, will be this time the Congress candidate from Leh assembly constituency. Jora has a tightrope walk as the supporters of Union Territory status for Ladakh are strongly opposed to him. The all powerful Member of Parliament from Ladakh Thupston Chhewang will be Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF) candidate against Rigzin Jora in Leh constituency. Phunsog’s joining Congress may help Rigzin Jora’s case in Leh, felt the observers. |
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