Delhi: 

adios! Vijay Shanker, former CBI chief file pic

It was an abrupt ending. When Vijay Shanker laid down his term as the chief of the CBI, the country's most powerful investigation organisation, even the rain Gods decided to weep. As a result, his carefully manicured exit tea party was washed out. But he left, as he had arrived, with his head held high. The government was unable to get somebody to take the onerous baton on, in time, but then did it before it became a public embarrassment.

A huddled meeting at the Prime Minister's residence, alone ensured that a new name Ashwani Kumar, DGP, Himachal Pradesh was ready for announcement, at least on the same day.

Rumours

Of course, as always, there were rumours of dark horses, before the final list of the names were assembled at the last stage.

Many observers are linking the confusion to the changed political equations after the UPA government survived the trust vote. Some hint that this had extended as far as wanting their favourite to be named the director.

 Even though the position was rumoured to have been one of the key spoils of the war against the Left, the deliberate delay and decoy tactics, managed from within the PMO, were all part of strategy.

This, to ensure that the government's choice was going to be the man they really wanted in place.
Delhiites know the new CBI boss is particularly crucial for the current government given that treacherous elections are close now and previous administrations are always vulnerable to the CBI.

By all indications, this is the man the establishment will be most comfortable with on the basis of his previous track record, both in terms of policing as well as in terms of being able to maintain the appropriate level of political neutrality. Delhi breathes easy now.