Bengaluru: Uncomfortable Shakti -Sajhakaran equation between Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivkumar again provoked – this time on the transfer of five senior engineers – adding fresh fuel to a series of bureaucracy flashpoints between top two leaders of the state.It has now been revealed that Shivakumar, who also keeps the Water Resources Department, formed the objection to the transfer orders of May 9 issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), which operates under the direct control of CM. In a letter written to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, the deputy CM directed him to “withdraw the transfer immediately”, stating that the decisions were made without their approval.The Chief Secretary has not yet responded to Shivkumar’s letter. CM has not publicly responded to Shivkumar’s objections, but the move is widely being explained in political circles as there is another sign of intensive crack between the two Congress heavyweight.All engineers of the Public Works Department (PWD) were re -appointed within the Water Resources Department. The way Shivkumar carried out the transfer was exception. In a written note, he reminded the Chief Secretary that the Congress leadership had reached a founding agreement when the government was formed: “No transfer or appointment related to my department should be made without my approval. These transferrs have been made without any reference to the concerned minister,” Shivkumar wrote that such tricks and undermained ministers.One of the affected engineers, BH Manjunath, who is currently posted with the Police Housing Corporation, is due to retirement on 31 May. DPAR’s order, however, directed a replacement engineer to report the post in advance, further enhanced the eyebrows in Shivkumar’s office.
