BENGALURU: Armed with astro advice, KPCC president and Congress troubleshooter DK Shivakumar has plunged into the bypoll battle, undeterred by the recent CBI raids. His job on hand: Drawing up a political strategy and galvanising the party cadre.It is said that Shivakumar, who strongly believes in star power, consulted an astrologer to choose the ‘right candidates’, and was advised to field a woman from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar. And that was how Kusuma Hanumantharayappa, wife of late IAS officer DK Ravi and daughter of JDS leader Hanumantharayappa, came to be picked.
Shivakumar had been similarly advised in 2004, and fielded Tejaswini Gowda against former PM Deve Gowda in Kanakapura; the rookie had famously slayed the Goliath.Speculation over Kusuma’s candidature began early last week, after a photograph of her meeting Adichunchanagiri Mutt pontiff Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji went viral.
It is said that Shivakumar was also advised to make the KPCC office building on Queen’s Road vaastu-compliant. Accordingly, the facade has got an imposing new Greco-Roman look, with six pairs of Corinthian pillars and a pediment, similar to his Global Academy of Technology in RR Nagar. The door and window frames have been changed, and so has his seating position in his chamber. Earlier this year, Shivakumar had performed a special puja and yajna at the Shri Pitambara Peetha Baglamukhi Temple in Datia, Madhya Pradesh. After his release on bail from Tihar jail last October, he visited religious places from Mysuru to Kalaburagi.