Pulok Chatterjee’s perceived closeness to 10 Janpath is of little use in a clash of egos right at the top of bureaucracy. Cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth has scuttled a proposal to grant Chatterjee, principal secretary to the prime minister, a minister-of-state rank.

Yes, he is ruling the roost in the government since he joined the prime minister’s office (PMO), he is overseeing implementation of key projects, he is ensuring smooth coordination between PMO and the party high command, and he also has the unenviable task of improving the image of the PM. For these task, Chatterjee had sought the status of a minister of state.

However, Seth, the top bureaucrat, protested the move before the PM and said he was senior to Chatterjee in the 1974 batch of the IAS and hence the latter could not be given the ministerial status upsetting the bureaucratic hierarchy, according to sources.

Seth, on his part, has reasons to be unhappy with Chatterjee who has usurped most of the powers the cabinet secretary had enjoyed.

He may feel he has been sidelined since November when Chatterjee practically decided the list of 45 IAS officers of 1978 batch put on the panel for appointment as secretaries at the centre.

Chatterjee, 60, will have to wait until June next year when Seth, who took over in May last year, retires to step into his shoes and then push for the ministerial status. His calculations, however, may go for a toss if Seth gets a two-year extension as has been the practice the PM has followed for many key posts.

Chatterjee served in the PMO earlier as secretary before an assignment with the World Bank in Washington. In October, he returned to PMO, succeeding TKA Nair.