Karnataka Ministers scramble for offices, bungalows and cars

Even though Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has made it clear that the newly inducted Ministers would be allocated their portfolios only after June 6, a virtual scramble has begun for office rooms in the stately Vidhana Soudha, ministerial bungalows and official cars.

The personal staff of most Ministers descended in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, scouting for official chambers that are not only easily accessible, but also Vastu-compliant.

A similiar hunt was mounted for ministerial bungalows located close to Vidhana Soudha and official cars, whose registration numbers add up to nine.

After most Ministers returned to their home constituencies on Saturday, the personal staff were found roaming in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha, some with Vastu experts in tow.

According to officials of Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), the rooms, which were facing west and those in the same corridor as the Chief Minister’s chambers were the most in demand. Next came rooms facing east followed by the ones facing north. There were few takers for rooms facing south.

Room number 314 on the third floor of Vidhana Soudha was among the hot favourites of the Minister. For, former Minister R V Deshpande occupied the room for ten consecutive years as Minister for Industries from 1994 to 2004 – first as a Minister in the undivided Janata Dal and later as a Minister in the S M Krishna-led Congress Government.

Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa, who was sworn in as Minister, has already opted for the room. Though there have been multiple requests for certain rooms considered to be “lucky”, DPAR officials said the Chief Minister will have a final say in the allotment of official chambers.

Similiarly, the ministerial bungalows next Hotel Taj West End, Chowdaiah Road and Crescent Road have become the most-sought after residences for the newly inducted Ministers.

When it comes to official cars, the personal staff of most Ministers chose from the recently added fleet of Lancer cars. Giving a lot of importance to numerology, the cars whose registration numbers total to the auspicious nine were in high demand, DPAR officials said.

“Almost all cars allotted to Ministers soon after the swearing-in ceremony have registration numbers that add up to nine”, a DPAR official said.

The DPAR had sufficient cars with registration numbers that add up to nine as they had requested the Transport authorities to register the new cars with numbers that added up to nine after there was a similar demand during the previous regime.