UP offices in frenzy over changing power equations in state

Lucknow, Mar 6: With the people's mandate for the Assembly elections 2012 to be revealed soon, there is frantic activity not within the politicians awaiting results, but within the bureaucrats in

. The government offices saw a flurry of activities with reports emerging that there were many officers who foresee a change in working conditions depending on changing political power struggles.

Foreseeing the changes ahead, many senior bureaucrats is understood to have applied for central deputation in Dec soon after the dates for the elections were notified. The effort is only gathering steam. [Click here for UP live election updates]

Among the names that is however coming back to the state in lieu of the changing political equations is 1980-batch IAS officer Jai Shankar Mishra, who is currently serving as chief executive officer of Khadi and Village Industries Commission. Considered to be a confidante of the SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mishra is the father of SP candidate Abhishek Mishra, a former IIM professor and first-time contestant from Lucknow North constituency.

A senior UP officer has been quoted as saying, "His closeness to the SP is well known . As a result, there could be a possibility that Misra comes back to UP, gets an extension and is made the next chief secretary."

There are others in the bureaucratic circle who think that the SP coming back to power will denote that some favourites may get juicier opportunities in top posts. Secretary at the Department of Administrative Reforms, Anita Singh, another close aide of Yadav's is also expected to land plump posts.

A senior UP bureaucrat added, "No one is taking chances. With predictions of a regime change, the best idea is to escape before the power broking begins."

OneIndia News