Another Khattar OSD puts in papers, awaits new job

WITH CAPT BHUPINDER’S RESIGNATION, ENTIRE ORIGINAL TEAM OF CHIEF MINISTER’S OFFICE STANDS RESHUFFLED; MOVE BEING SEEN AS A PREPOLL EXCERCISE

Capt Bhupinder, officer on special duty (OSD) to Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, has put in his papers and his resignation has been accepted.

With this, almost on the fourth floor of the Haryana civil secretariat from where the chief minister’s office (CMO) functions, stands reshuffled.

The rejig is being seen as part of CMO’s re-arrangements ahead of Lok Sabha and state assembly elections due next year.

Senior bureaucrats Sanjev Kaushal and Sumita Misra, who were initially appointed as principal secretary and additional principal secretary to chief minister, (PSCM and APSCM), respectively, were shifted earlier, while an officer from the Indian Railway Accounts Services (IRAS), Vijay Sharma, who came as an OSD to CM was repatriated, rather unceremoniously. Mukul Kumar, another bureaucrat who was OSD to CM, was also shifted to the tourism department initially, and is currently additional deputy commissioner, Panchkula.

Soon to go after them were Jawahar Yadav, the then principal OSD to CM, and Raj Kumar Bhardwaj, OSD, media, New Delhi. While Yadav was made chairman, Haryana Housing Board, Bhardwaj was appointed as head of a University Grants Commission (UGC) body.

Amit Arya, who was media advisor to CM, was also shifted to New Delhi in the same capacity about two months ago.

Capt Bhupendra, who hails from Hisar, is son of former Haryana RSS president Maj (retd) Kartar Singh. He is likely to be made chairman of a board or corporation in coming days.