Chennai: IAS and IPS officers known to be DMK sympathisers, who were all getting ready to take up important assignments in the new government after exit polls predicted DMK coming back to power, are a shocked lot now.
With AIADMK scoring a decisive victory in the 2016 assembly elections as well, all those remained in cold storage for five years may have to wait for at least another five years to get plum postings.
Sources said that officers who were in hibernation were spotted in DMK camp just before the polling date to remind the party heavyweights that they were waiting for the party’s comeback.
And with some of the overconfident DMK leaders already starting to behave and speaking as if they were in power already, a good number of officials too believed that DMK would capture power in the state. Even one senior serving in a very sensitive post now had shown a leaning towards the DMK during the last leg of the campaign, sources pointed out.
Among IPS officers, sidelined cops like Jaffer Sait, S R Jangid and K. Radhakrishnan, who enjoyed enormous power when DMK was in power five years ago, had been eagerly hoping for rehabilitation if AIADMK were to be voted out.
But the AIADMK government may not continue with officers like ADGP Ashutosh Shukla, the present city CoP and KP Magherndran, DGP (election) posted by the Election Commission in the first week of May on the premise that the existing officers were not good enough.
“To start with all the officers shifted by the EC may get their earlier positing,” sources said indicating T K Rajendran may return as city police chief immediately after AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa assumes office as CM again. Sources also indicated that the new government might also put the performance of DGP under the scanner.
With retired DGP R Nataraj becoming an MLA of the ruling party, the chief minister is expected get more insight into the lobbying tactics in the police force and act accordingly.
While the top IAS officers are likely to remain unchanged at the state secretariat, there are some officers in the state who would continue to be in not so important posts. For example, the no-nonsense officer U. Sagayam, who had become a ‘political untouchable’ for both Dravidian parties.
Similarly, the controversial officer Uma Shankar, who of late has been more interested in preaching, is also unlikely to get a plum post. Senior IAS officer Irai Anbu known for his oratorical skills had also been kept off the secretariat complex.
Minor clash in Kotturpuram, 2 injured
In a minor clash, a DMK man’s son, and daughter-in-law were injured in Chitra Nagar in Kotturpuram, as the jubilance of poll outcome reverbrated among the major Dravidian parties.
Sources said AIADMK local ward functionary reportedly stormed into the house of DMK local unit secretary K. Mani and indulged in fisticuffs with the latter’s pregnant daughter-in-law and son. The duo sustained simple injuries while Mylapore DCP V. Balakrishnan rushed to the spot to curtail the situation from escalating into a major political issue.
Suresh who sustained bleeding injuries was rushed to the hospital while his wife Shenbagam did not suffer any major injuries. A few women who were gathered near the DMK party office in Chitra Nagar were also reportedly thrashed by the AIADMK functionary and his company.
