Staff breathe easy at deserted Soudha

 The usual buzz and activity in the secretariat is missing. The number of visitors has declined considerably. Busy protecting their interest amid the prevailing political uncertainty, most of the ministers in the Yeddyurappa Cabinet have stayed away from the corridors of power for more than a week now.

On Tuesday, the entire Cabinet was in New Delhi, consulting with the central leadership of party.

Their absence is telling on work in the secretariat. Files awaiting clearance by the ministers are piling up. Even the Chief Minister’s office on the second floor, never devoid of visitors from the length and breadth of the the state, wore a deserted look on Tuesday.

It is some leisure time for the secretariat staff who keep themselves busy discussing the latest twist in the power game.

The east entrance gate of Vidhana Soudha was opened after a gap of six days on Tuesday, much to the relief of the staff and visitors, who have been forced to take a circuitous route into the Vidhana Soudha, with only one gate (western entrance) open. Even pedestrians were barred from using any other gate.

While police said it was a security measure, rumour mills had it that Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has consulted a vaastu expert who advised the closure of all gates of the Vidhana Soudha except the western one.