The Hindu : Ajay Prasad, OSD to Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 14, 2002

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National

Ajay Prasad, OSD to Advani

By Harish Khare

New Delhi Sept. 13. Ajay Prasad, a 1969 batch IAS officer, now Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, has been appointed `Officer on Special Duty' to the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani.

Mr. Prasad had worked as private secretary to Mr. Advani in his first ministerial assignment during the Janata Party Government in 1977.

When Mr. Advani was named Deputy Prime Minister, there was speculation that a big "office of the Deputy Prime Minister'' would be put in place, which could be a rival to the Prime Minister's Office. The names of many retired bureaucrats were mentioned as possible heads of the DPMO.

Mr. Prasad's appointment today sets the record straight. He would be primarily entrusted with the task of inter-ministerial coordination, would monitor the various Cabinet committees and the Groups of Ministers with which Mr. Advani is associated. Besides, Mr. Prasad will also have responsibilities in the Home Ministry.

Mr. Advani's present special assistant, Deepak Chopra, who all these years looked after both political and bureaucratic calibration on behalf of Mr. Advani, will now be able to concentrate on matters political, essentially party affairs.

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