A new cabinet secretary is likely by mid May to coincide with the completion of a one-year term of the BJP Government.

So, who's in?

The race is between Dr P K Sinha, the present Power Secretary (a 1977 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS  officer), and Finance Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, (a 1978 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer).

Prime Minister Modi is believed to have spent two to three hours with each of these two officials to gauge who will fit the bill.

The PM has also shared his understanding about these two officials with his two senior cabinet colleagues.

The change will be made in May primarily because of the completion of formalities related to the budget in Parliament.

In case Modi chooses Mehrishi as cabinet secretary, Ajit Seth will finally be shown the door as he has not only overstayed his tenure but also because civil service rules do not permit him to serve beyond the age of 65.

In fact there were many rumblings when Narendra Modi chose to retain Ajit Seth as cabinet secretary even though it was the policy of the Modi government to remove those who were loyal to the UPA.

Remember the nine governors who were abruptly thrown out?

But Modi retained Ajit Seth as cabinet secretary and it is believed he primarily did so to get a hang of what the UPA did or did not do via officials who served the earlier regime.

Watch this space.

Also read: Why Modi chose Rajiv Mehrishi as the economic affairs secretary