AI crisis: Arvind Jadhav ready to face the worst

With moves reportedly being made for his ouster, Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav is said to be prepared to face the worst.

Sources close to him said that since his appointment was done by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), it was government's prerogative to retain or remove him from the post before his three-year tenure ends on May 4 next year.

Though Civil Aviation Ministry officials denied having made any move for removing him, 55-year old Jadhav is facing criticism for the grave financial crisis facing Air India.

The sources, while making it clear that Jadhav was appointed for a three-year period, said he was prepared to work anywhere else if the government so wanted.

A 1978-batch IAS officer, Jadhav took over as CMD of the National Aviation Corporation of India Limited (NACIL) on May 4, 2009. He is already empanelled as a Secretary to the government.

Jadhav has been under attack, not only from sections of the employees like the pilots, political parties have also trained their guns on him. His tenure so far has experienced three major strikes by pilots and other employees.

Lok Sabha was today slated to take up a discussion on the failing health of Air India, but that was disrupted by the opposition furore over the CWG scam.

Former Civil Aviation Minister and BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy has also recently questioned the "motive" behind his "hurried appointment", Left parties have also attacked him particularly on employee-related issues.

The focus of these attacks has been the massive losses and debt burden of the national carrier and delayed payment of staff salaries and allowances.