Tussle for deputy director of education spot heats up in Nagpur

NAGPUR: The high profile post of deputy director of education (DDE) in Nagpur is now once again being eyed by a candidate from within. Assistant director of education, PP Nikas, has been promoted to the DDE level and has become an immediate contender for the post. Speaking to TOI Nikas, said, "I can only confirm that I have been promoted as DDE which means that sooner or later I will have to vacate my current post.Rest I would not like comment or even speculate on."
The current DDE Mahesh Karajgaonkar has always been a "controversy's child" with allegations of corruption being levelled against him from time to time. Recently Karajgaonkar was granted anticipatory bail by the Nagpur Bench of Bombay high court after the local police showed intent to arrest him in a wage scandal. With no shortage of detractors, Karajgaonkar now finds himself in a vulnerable position as a contender has shown up on the horizon. Karajgaonkar was appointed to the DDE (Nagpur) post in 2010 after a long drawn controversy and is due for promotion to director level by end of 2013. Nagpur does not have a director level posting which means Karajgaonkar will have to move to the headquarters in Pune.
A source in the DDE Nagpur office told TOI that Nikas has been actively trying to garner support for the top post. "Even Karajgaonkar was recommended to the post by MLA Sunil Kedar and was endorsed directly by the then chief minister Ashok Chavan, so it is nothing out of turn that Nikas would try to do the same. While Nikas does not have the same political clout as Karajgaonkar there are various factors in play when it comes to posting," the source said.