(By Z A Ansari)-New Delhi: A major shake-up is happening in the selection of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)’s next Chairman & Managing Director (CMD). After the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) rejected all candidates, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a Search-Cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) to find the right leader. But an interesting pattern has emerged—M.K. Surana, former CMD of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), has once again found a place on the selection panel.
Industry experts are asking: Why always M.K. Surana? Notably, he was also part of the selection committee for the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) CMD post. This has sparked speculation—Is the government comfortable only with Mr. Surana? Why are other industry veterans not being considered for such an important panel?
The Search-Cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) consists of Chairperson, PESB (DoPT), Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), and M.K. Surana, Former CMD, HPCL. The repeated presence of Mr. Surana in top-level selection panels is fueling speculation in corporate circles. Is this a sign of pre-determined decision-making? Is a certain section of the bureaucracy playing it safe by relying on familiar faces? And most importantly—will this impact BPCL’s future leadership choices?
With BPCL’s strategic importance in India’s energy sector, all eyes are now on how this selection process unfolds. Will this search-cum-selection model bring in the best leadership, or is it just a way to maintain control? The industry is watching. Investors are waiting. What’s next for BPCL?