At least three secretary-level posts will fall vacant in the next month. By year end, another three to four more will become available. So a tug of war is underway between the various central services. The Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, Mr Brajesh Mishra, is reportedly busy thrashing out a formula. Much will depend on how the Cabinet Secretary, Mr T R Prasad, who is also the head of the civil service, pilots the case.

Potassium cyanide
Its called the "K" factor. Some prefer to just say the "potassium factor", assuming it is known that the reference is to the letter K. It is seen as poisoning the working environment in the union government so the reference is normally made to potassium cyanide! The "K" factor refers to the run of the place that a particular community has allegedly had during the tenure of the retiring cabinet secretary, Mr Prabhat Kumar, and continues to have in some key ministries where the Ks have prospered under the benign ministership of a fellow K. The letter K refers to Kayasthas, an influential middle caste from north India which has from the days of the Mughal empire enjoyed power and patronage by securing access to key government jobs. In the corridors of power in New Delhi it is generally believed that Kayasthas have had the run of the place under the present government. With a Kayastha cabinet secretary retiring and a backward caste south Indian taking over, everyone is waiting to see how the dice will fall infuture postings.