In the footsteps of the resignation of former chief secretary K Shanmugham, who resigned as the state advisor, several officers who were associated with the office of chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami have started putting in their papers. Those who were given service extension by the AIADMK regime have put in their papers and are expediting the formal relieving process from the state service.
Chennai:
Though the chief secretary and senior IAS officials have started coordinating with the camp office of CM-elect MK Stalin, the DIPR is yet to commence the issuance of press releases and statements related to DMK. Thanks to the extra affiliation with the outgoing AIADMK cabinet. Several DIPR officials have also put in their papers affecting functioning of information department.
“The department of information and public relations that handles the press and media is in a state of shock over the regime change and is yet to come out of it,” said an informed official at the Secretariat. Additional director and officer on special duty SP Ezhilagan, who was handling the publicity related to Palaniswami had also resigned and is missing in action. Another officer Umapathy, deputy director, Chennai Corporation who was handling the publicity of minister SP Velumani had also resigned from the top post.
Interestingly, the website details of certain officers and the posts were also found missing and their numbers are either switched off or not reachable.
“The issue with the information department is that the officers become more political advising the ministers and MLAs and this is a headache for the department during regime change,” a senior DIPR official said stating that the information department officials appointed during the DMK regime are now calling the shots even before the DMK-led cabinet is yet to assume power on Friday.
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