Chief Minister Saini set to rejig all-important office

With the Nayab Singh Saini government trying to put its best foot forward after its historic hat trick in Haryana, the all-important Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) is set for a revamp with crucial new appointments in the offing.

After V Umashankar, current Principal Secretary to CM (PSCM), going to the Centre on deputation, the Saini government has initiated the process to appoint his successor, besides other appointments.

The names of several bureaucrats in Chandigarh, and Shyamal Misra, posted as Chief Administrator of the Trade Fair Authority of Haryana (TFAH), New Delhi, are doing the rounds for the plum posting.

Chief Minister Saini is keeping the party high command in the loop for making these appointments. "The CM has already held extensive discussions on the appointment of officials and non-officials in the CMO. The appointments would only be made after a nod from the party high command,” a senior government functionary told The Tribune.

Currently, the CMO is headed by veteran bureaucrat Rajesh Khullar, who, as the Chief Principal Secretary of CM (CPSCM), wields considerable influence over decision-making in the Haryana Government.

Khullar, who was the PSCM for almost five years during Manohar Lal Khattar’s first tenure (2014-19) as CM, was appointed CPSCM after his retirement on August 31, 2023. He has retained the all-important post since then.

Sources said besides the PSCM, the new Additional Principal Secretaries to the CM (APSCMs), a Deputy Principal Secretary to the CM (DPSCM), and OSDs are likely to be drawn from serving bureaucrats.

Several political appointments are also likely in the CMO soon. These include a media adviser to the CM, political secretary/adviser to the CM, and a few officers on special duty (OSDs). These political appointees are usually selected from senior BJP leaders.

New-look CMO

• New PSCM to be appointed as V Umashankar goes on Central deputation

• APSCMs, DPSCM, and OSDs may be appointed

• New political appointees include CM’s media adviser, political secretary/adviser to CM and OSDs

'Influential' Khullar

At present, the CMO is headed by veteran bureaucrat Rajesh Khullar, who, as the Chief Principal Secretary of CM (CPSCM), wields influence over decision-making in the Haryana Government. Khullar, who was the PSCM during Manohar Lal Khattar’s first tenure as the chief minister, was appointed CPSCM after his retirement on August 31, 2023. He has retained the all-important post since.