Rajasthan: Unlike last time, CMO remains calm & unruffled

Even before the oath ceremony was completed, back in the state’s biggest office from where governance is done was ready to welcome the state’s new chief minister Ashok Gehlot. The officials and employees were all ready and waiting for Gehlot to come and take the charge of his office. Gehlot had, however, flown to Bhopal and later to Raipur to take part in the oath ceremony of chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, respectively. The senior bureaucrats returned to secretariat after the oath ceremony and the employees and everybody was seen waiting for Gehlot. It was usual to work going at the secretariat and everybody was back to basics.

However, the employees were seen talking about the changes that will be seen in coming days in the CMO and in secretariat itself. Meanwhile, intense efforts to clean the corridor and rooms of old CMO, which is on the first floor of the main secretariat building, were being done. Unlike 2013, when the corridor which is in front of the CMO building was washed and even the elephants showpiece on the doors were washed, this time no such thing was done. However, the whole building campus was cleaned neat and tidy to welcome the new chief minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. 

Everybody was guessing about the role and responsibilities of deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. Pilot, for that matter, has been elected for the first time as MLA and will be sitting in secretariat for the first time. His role till now was in national politics and since last 5 years, he had been working as PCC president in the state strengthening the Congress party. 

The bureaucrats were waiting for the transfer list by the department of personnel. Since every-time there is a change in the government, the bureaucracy is reshuffled. In 2013, when Raje had become the CM, she had been to the secretariat and taken charge in CMO.