Mumbai Confidential: Wait for the new chief

Six months after it was agreed that Ravindra Chavan would take over as Maharashtra BJP president, the appointment remains unofficial. Chavan was even kept out of the Cabinet to assume the role, while the incumbent Chandrashekhar Bawankule moved on to become Revenue Minister. Insiders say the delay is strategic as the announcement was supposed to coincide with the BJP’s national leadership change. But with the Centre yet to name a successor to JP Nadda, and the RSS pushing for ideological loyalty over personality-driven picks, the process is stuck. As Delhi dithers, the state unit stays in limbo, and Chavan remains acting president, much to the frustration of party workers awaiting clarity.

Thirsting for transfers

After a three-year freeze, the Maharashtra government has resumed bureaucratic transfers, but the limited rollout is triggering discontent, especially in the state’s powerful irrigation department. The offices of ministers Dada Bhuse and Sanjay Shirsat are now flooded with frustrated officers who expected to be moved, but weren’t. The challenge? Rules permit transfers of only 30 per cent of the staff in a year, which has left hundreds stuck in their current postings despite being eligible. Given the department’s reputation as one of the most influential in the state bureaucracy—both in terms of postings and perks—the pressure on the ministers is mounting. They now find themselves juggling administrative bottlenecks and managing growing unrest within the ranks.