Bengaluru: Residents of JP Nagar 3rd Phase are battling the jitters and the reason is not far to seek – Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who faced a public backlash over his five star lifestyle after he rented rooms at a five-star hotel in the city rather than occupy the not so vaastu-friendly chief minister's official residence, is planning to shift his residence-cum office to the locality where his family already lives. And soon will follow the traffic curbs, security-related restrictions and the perpetual jams, moan local residents!
“We got a taste of the traffic restrictions when Mr Kumaraswamy became CM a year ago; the area was cordoned off for the smooth movement of his family members, relatives, well-wishers and partymen. Even today, restrictions are in force in a limited area but it will now become unbearable with the CM planning to shift to JP Nagar,” said a resident requesting anonymity.
Umadevi, another resident felt the CM in their vicinity would bring some good but would also create a few problems. The security blanket would ensure that crime incidents drastically come down but residents would have to cope with traffic bottlenecks when the CM's convoy enters and leaves as well as that of other VIPs. Parking of vehicles would not be allowed near the residence. Commuters would have a difficult time particularly during peak morning and evening hours, she felt.
The move to live in his family home in this tony suburb is part of the chief minister's intense move to rebuild his image, following the shock defeat of all JD(S) candidates barring one in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Mr Kumaraswamy has taken up a series of public relations activities, besides announcing his Gram Vastavya visits, scheduled to begin on June 21.
Mr Kumaraswamy has also invited all 37 JD(S) MLAs and MLCs to his JP Nagar residence on Tuesday evening for dinner. During the last one year, his party colleagues had complained about lack of access to the CM and at Tuesday's meeting, Mr Kumaraswamy is planning to reassure them that the government is stable and henceforth, governance would be smooth.
Earlier in the day, Mr Kumaraswamy gave an audience to Mayakka from Gokak in Belagavi district, who is physically challenged from birth and a mother of two. He sanctioned Rs 50,000 assistance to her and promised to help her in getting her children educated besides directing the Belagavi district administration to get Mayakka a BPL card.
