Srivastava, 2 others in race for Delhi’s Chief Secy

The Arvind Kejriwal led AAP government has send three names to the central government for the coveted top post of Delhi’s Chief Secretary, which include that of Sanjay Kumar Srivastava and Naini Jayaseelan, sources said on Sunday. Incumbent Chief Secretary Deepak Mohan Spolia is retiring on February 28, after a month’s extension.

The AAP government has recommended the names of Jayaseelan, Member Secretary of the National Capital Region Planning Board, former Delhi Chief Secretary Srivastava, presently, posted as Chairman, Delhi Financial Corporation and Nutan Guha Biswas, Principal Secretary to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung.

Srivastava and Jayaseelan are IAS officers of 1980 AGMUT-batch, while Biswas belongs to the 1983 batch. On the other hand speculations are rife that Kejriwal is again preferring Srivastava for the top post. In Kejriwal’s previous 49-day stint also, Srivastava who was then an Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Union health and Family Welfare ministry, was appointed as the Chief Secretary. But he was transferred by the BJP government to the Delhi Financial Corporation on August 28, 2014. Spolia was reinstated as the Chief Secretary.

A Post-Graduate in Economics, Jayaseelan is also reportedly lobbying for the Chief Secretary’s post. She is said to have an edge over the other as she is very ‘more well aware’ with the issues concerning the national Capital. She had also worked as the Principal Secretary in Environment and PWD ministries.