Venu Rajamony turns down Kerala govt’s two-week extension, steps down as OSD

Thiruvananthapuram: Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Government of Kerala in New Delhi, Venu Rajamony has decided to step down from the post despite the state government’s two-week extension. 

He was appointed as OSD in 2021. Though the initial appointment was for one year, the government in 2022 extended his tenure for one more year. The government last week again extended tenure to September 30 as it concluded on September 16. The new development comes at this juncture. 

According to reports, Rajamony in a letter has intimated his decision to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. 

Rajamony maintained to Mathrubhumi News that he was satisfied with the stint as OSD. However, he did not comment on the rationale behind the decision.

Rajamony had been the former ambassador of India to the Netherlands and Press Secretary to former President Pranab Mukherjee. Venu's deep knowledge of the functioning of the bureaucracy in Delhi, his good connections with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and foreign embassies, and his long association with the key individuals in the nation's capital were apparently considered while choosing him for the crucial post.