The stand-off between the IAS officers and the government over the spate of Vigilance investigations against top officials has blown over with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan taking a tough stand, but the discontent among the officers remains a reality.
Although there was buzz all through the day that Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand had offered to resign and some Ministers had intervened to persuade him not to go in for any precipitate action, there appeared to be little truth in these reports.
According to government sources, Mr. Vijayanand had only told Mr. Vijayan that he was ready to go if the Chief Minister had no faith in him. He had said that on Monday shortly after the formal meeting between the Chief Minister and the IAS officers’ delegation.
The Chief Minister was quick to tell him that his words during the meeting with the IAS officers was not intended as an expression of lack of trust in the Chief Secretary. Mr. Vijayanand was in his office for the whole of Tuesday, attending to his work and participating in meetings. He has service till March 31 and, if one were to go by what persons close to him have to say, he is in no mood to embarrass the government by proactively putting in his papers.
