Soon after the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra was ousted in June and the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government took charge, the IAS/IPS officers, who were dissatisfied with the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, heaved a sigh of relief, thinking that good days were in the offing. But the new government hasn’t made any bureaucratic reshuffle yet while the babus wait for a major shake-up and promotion. As the stalemate and uncertainty continue, the bureaucrats remain on the edge. Sources say the situation has led to poor functioning of the bureaucracy.
Sources say several officers have been continuously making visits to Varsha and Sagar for pending posting and promotion. Despite constant assurances about the bureaucrats’ posting, nothing has happened yet. Varsha is the official residence of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, while Sagar is the new home for Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The wait is more painful for the bureaucrats who are recognised as pro-Fadnavis or pro-Shinde. Earlier in 2019, when the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA was formed, many babus had been given ‘punishment postings’. The bureaucrats who fall into this category are eagerly waiting for the next move by the government. The delay is too taxing,” some say.
However, the dilemma of the Eknath-Fadnavis government does not seem to end there. Not only the bureaucrats but also a dozen MLAs of the Shinde faction are waiting for the expansion of the cabinet, which is not in sight at the moment.