Fresh turf war: DCM opposes CM's transfers, demands reversal

Time of India

6 days ago

Bengaluru: The uneasy power-sharing equation between chief minister
and his deputy
flared up again -- this time, over the transfer of five senior engineers —adding fresh fuel to a series of bureaucratic flashpoints between the state's top two leaders.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
It has now emerged that Shivakumar, who also holds water resources department, formally objected to the May 9 transfer orders issued by the department of personnel and administrative reforms (DPAR), which operates under the chief minister's direct control. In a strongly worded letter to chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh, the deputy CM directed her to "immediately withdraw" the transfers, saying the decisions were made without his approval.
The chief secretary is yet to respond to Shivakumar's letter. The chief minister has also not responded publicly to Shivakumar's objections, but the move is being widely interpreted in political circles as another sign of the deepening rift between the two Congress heavyweights.
The engineers, all from the public works department (PWD), were reassigned to key posts within the water resources department. The list includes divisions managing sensitive and strategic portfolios such as interstate water disputes, irrigation under the Neeravari projects, the politically contentious Yettinahole project, the Command Area Development Authority (CADA), and the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
Shivakumar took exception to the way transfers were executed. In a written note, he reminded the chief secretary that the Congress leadership had reached a foundational agreement when the govt was formed: "No transfers or appointments related to my department should be made without my approval. These transfers have been carried out without any reference to the minister concerned," Shivakumar wrote, warning that such moves violate protocol and undermine ministerial authority.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
One of the engineers affected, BH Manjunath, currently posted with the police housing corporation, is due to retire on May 31. The DPAR's order, however, instructed a replacement engineer to report to the post in advance, further raising eyebrows in Shivakumar's office.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have struggled to maintain a working relationship amid growing turf battles over portfolios, budget allocations, and bureaucratic appointments.
Party insiders acknowledge the tension. The power structure in the state, they say, has become fraught with friction as Shivakumar with chief ministerial aspiration is jostling for influence over high-profile departments like Bengaluru development, water resources, and public works.
Although the Congress has attempted to present a united front publicly, the discord is increasingly hard to conceal. Earlier skirmishes over board nominations, the handling of state finances, and control over Bengaluru's infrastructure roadmap have already set the stage for mistrust.