On astrologer's advice, Kumaraswamy's elder brother travels 350 kms daily
What's the story
Travelling to work daily is something which is both exhausting and frustrating, and rarely anyone chooses a long route. But Karnataka minister HD Revanna, who is also Chief Minister Kumaraswamy's elder brother, travels 350 kms daily from his assembly constituency Holenarasipura to Bengaluru on an astrologer's advice. Wait, what? The state's public works minister is yet to get an official accommodation in Bengaluru.
The commute
Till predecessor vacates bungalow, Revanna is fine with travelling
Revanna prefers making the round trip of 350 kms than sleeping in his own Bengaluru house as an astrologer warned of consequences. Sources close to Revanna said he is eyeing a magnificent bungalow where his predecessor HC Mahadevappa currently resides. Mahadevappa has three months to vacate the house, and his peers believe the bungalow helped him gain a stronghold in politics.
Minister's luxury
Expense of Revanna's journey is borne by the government
Every day Revanna gets up at 5 AM, performs a pooja, then leaves from Holenarasipura at 8 AM. He reaches Bengaluru by 11:30, and begins the return journey at 9 in the night to reach his residence by midnight. Of course, the government bears the expense for Revanna's travel. A traffic-free corridor is created to ensure the minister's journey is hassle free.
Vaastu shashtra
Revanna changed direction of EVMs, demolished stairs to suit vaastu
Revanna's obsession with Vaastu is quite famous. During elections, he is reported to have changed the direction of EVMs to get favorable results. He is also reported to have demolished a flight of stairs during construction of Janata Dal (Secular) headquarters JP Bhawan, as it was not as per vaastu. However, he maintained he travelled only because he hasn't been allotted a bungalow.
Details
Revanna even fixed time for Kumaraswamy's swearing-in
Such is Revanna's obsession with the stars, that he fixed swearing-in time of Kumaraswamy and ensured his younger brother came barefoot for the ceremony. On a related note, the entire Gowda family believes in Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Before elections, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda performed a ritual lasting 15 days to pray Kumaraswamy became the Chief Minister. The powerful and their penchants!