Key aide of PM opts outof service

New Delhi : Nripendra Misra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's key aide for five years, is on his way out of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) after expressing his desire to step down.

However, Modi has requested Misra to continue for another two weeks.

The 1967 batch retired IAS officer is presently the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Misra was inducted in Team Modi when the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power in 2014 following a landslide victory. He continued to be in Modi's core team after the NDA returned to power with an even bigger majority in 2019.

Such is his proximity to Modi that the Prime Minister himself took to Twitter to announce Misra's decision and praised his work.

"After serving the PMO assiduously and diligently for over five years and making an indelible contribution to India's growth trajectory, Shri Nripendra Misra Ji will be embarking on a new phase of his life. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours," Modi tweeted.

"Shri Nripendra Misra is among the most outstanding officers, who has a great grasp of public policy and administration. When I was new in Delhi in 2014, he taught me a lot and his guidance remains extremely valuable," read another of his tweets.

Meanwhile, another retired IPS officer, PK Sinha, has been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the PMO.out of