Chief minister designate Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday held a detailed familiarisation meeting with top officials triggering apprehension among them that there will be total change in style of functioning and some of the Modi-style chest-thumping bravura will be brought into Mantralaya as well.
Chief secretary Swadhin Kshatriya and other top secretaries were present at the meeting in the official guest house Sahyadri.
"It was formal introduction with few officials along with the chief secretary. He asked a few questions and discussed his doubts," an official who was present at the meeting said. Fadnavis seemed composed and in control of things and none of his inexperience in such matters showed.
"There is more hope than cynicism. Considering that the size of the cabinet will be comparitively small it is clear that Modi's dictum of minimum government and maximum governance will be adhered to. The fact that people voted for BJP shows that people want good governance and Fadnavis will deliver," another bureaucrat who too was present at the meeting said.
Echoing the sentiments of his colleagues, another senior official added: "The usual templates will now change. All of us will have to adapt to the new situation for good. Right from punctuality to efficiency, everything will be tested."
Another nagging fear among the top bureaucracy is that there will be a massive overhaul. Many of whom close to the previous government may be moved out. "Whenever there is a new government, people do expect transfers, but this time somehow everyone is expecting drastic changes in a few departments," a senior bureaucrat said.
The apprehension is all the more considering that in the last 15 years there's been change in faces but the style of government functioning has been more or less the same. "Here, people are expecting complete change. This will definitely break the continuity in style of functioning of the government. There are so many departments where personal assistants and personal secretaries have not been changed for decades. This staff has lot of impact on the operational part of any department and its efficiency. Now everyone feels they can be transferred," he added.
Sahyadri on Wednesday was a hub of activity. Fadnavis had a detailed meeting with the party's core committee members Sudhir Mungantiwar, Vinod Tawde and Pankaja Munde. The CM designate also called up Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray personally to invite them for the swearing-in ceremony on Friday.
Fadnavis as CM designate is entitled to use facilities provided by the government, but opted not to avail them. He is staying in the MLA hostel till the swearing-in. His wife Amruta, who is an officer with the Axis Bank in Nagpur, and their daughter Divija are staying in a city hotel.
After the swearing-in, the new CM will visit Mantralaya and garland the statue of Shivaji and the photo of Jijamata in the Mantralaya premises. This will be followed by the first cabinet meeting. It is also a tradition that the new CM meets journalists on the first day.
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