Naidu’s lobby fails, Home Secy Pandey is Cabinet Secy

The speculation over the next Cabinet Secretary has finally ended, with Home Secretary Kamal Pandey’s name being approved to succeed T R Prasad. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is believed to have signed the relevant file just days before he leaves for New York to attend the UN General Assembly Meet.

Pandey, a 1965 batch officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was the frontrunner for the post although there were reports of hectic lobbying, particularly by Chandrababu Naidu, to give Prasad an extension. Prasad is an Andhra cadre officer.

Pandey is expected to assume charge as OSD around mid-September for a six-week orientation period before he takes over from Prasad, who retires on October 31. He will have a two-year term, irrespective of his date of retirement.