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Much lobbying on for choice of new army chief

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

The appointment of the successor to army chief General V P Malik is turning out be harder than imagined, with intense lobbying on in the corridors of power.

If tradition is followed, then GOC-in-C, southern command, Lt Gen G Padmanabhan should be taking over, but there are some powerful groups that don't like him.

The next army chief is to take over on September 30, when General V P Malik retires. Traditionally, the retiring army chief hands over charges to the next man.

According to sources, the army headquarters is supporting the candidature of vice-chief of army staff Lt Gen Chandra Sekhar, who is to retire along with Gen Malik on September 30. The army chief, sources said, also favours Gen Chandra Sekhar taking over. In fact, rumours are rife that Gen Malik has offered to retire in the morning of September 30, thus facilitating the handover.

An army chief holds the seat for a maximum period of three years, or till he is 62-years-old. Otherwise, an army officer retires by 60. If Gen Chandra Sekhar takes over, he automatically gets a two-year extension. Lt Gen Padmanabhan, meanwhile, is to retire in December.

Army headquarters has denied any such move. In a written statement last week, the army termed all such talks wild speculation.

Gen Chandra Sekhar, who hails from the hills of Uttar Pradesh, has the backing of HRD minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, who is form the same region. Besides, Chandra Sekhar has the backing of others in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Giving the whole thing a political colour is the backing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is extending to Lt Gen Padmanabhan's candidature. Though DMK has not quite demanded that the Southern Command chief be made the next army chief, Lt Gen Padmanabhan's exclusion could have a grave bearing on the coalition.

DMK leaders have informally spoken of having an officer from south India as the army chief at least every 12 years. General K Sunderji was the last chief of army from south India.

Lt Gen Padmanabhan, an artillery officer, is reputed to be military tactician and has made a good name for himself during various crucial postings. He has served in Kashmir extensively, and as a Brigadier spearheaded the operation at Hazaratbal shrine, which, tactically, was supposed to be highly successful. In fact, his tenure as the Northern Command GOC-in-C was marked by relatively peaceful period in the valley. He left Northern Command only last December and moved to Southern Command.

Vice-chief Lt General Chandra Sekhar has been a close associate of General Malik, and managed the first few days of the Kargil crisis in the absence of the army chief.

Traditionally, the government announces the new army chief almost three months before the incumbent retires. If the Vajpayee government keeps up with that tradition, then the new chief will be named by June. "But that is only a tradition, it is up to the government to decide," sources said.

There are several senior government officials who believe that the government may not risk yet another controversy a year after the dismissal of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat.

"If they foist a man of their own choice overriding all traditions then it will give the opposition yet another chance to find fault," says one senior government official.

What could also give a new twist to the entire race could be the Kargil intrusions. If sources in the ministry of defence are to be believed, the government could use the Kargil episode to deny Lt Gen Padmanabhan the chief's post. Though the government has no concrete information when the intrusions occurred, it could lay the blame at the doorsteps of Padmanabhan and deny him the top post. Lt Gen Padmanabhan was Northern Command chief till last December.

Even as speculation continues in the South Block about the next army chief, senior government officials said it is yet to take a final decision. The decision will be taken by the cabinet committee on appointments, though the prime minister and defence minister will have the final word.

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