Top IAS officer fires parting shot at govt

KOLKATA: Additional chief secretary transport, Sumantra Choudhury, who retired on Monday, fired a parting shot on the last day of his service, which shocked many in the state government. Choudhury, an IAS officer of 1974 batch, said hewas "upset" that the state government did not make him the chief secretarydespite two opportunities where he could have been chosen for the top job.Choudhury said he was "so shocked and shattered" by this, that he would not accept any position in the Bengal government after his retirement, even if were made an offer. "Once when Ashok Mohan Chakrabarti was made the chief secretary and again when Ardhendu Sen became chief secretary, I was not chosen even though I was the senior-most. It is true that the chief minister has the discretion to choose one officer and not another, but I was extremely hurt," Choudhury said, his voice trembling. Chakrabarty is an IAS officerof 1974 batch and Sen of the 1976 batch. "I had even called on theCM and lodged my claim for the chief secretary's post when Ashok MohanChakrabarty was the outgoing chief secretary. The CM told me that he was yet tomake a decision. Later, I found out that Sen would be the next chief secretary,"said Choudhury. "Now that my tenure is over, I want to steer clear of the stategovernment."