Piqued Anjaneya asks workers to enter through window

 Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya is learnt to have ordered the contractor renovating his newly allotted rooms on the third floor of Vidhana Soudha not to open the doors.

Workers involved in the renovation are, as a result, entering the room using the window  even to carry all construction materials.

The minister, his close aides said, does not want the public, especially the media, to enter the place. He had recently come under criticism for demolishing a partition wall between rooms 340 and 341 as part of renovation work. The PWD is spending an estimated Rs 10 lakh on renovation, which includes new flooring, painting and construction of ante-chamber. The work is likely to go on for another three to four days.

Change of seat

This apart, Anjaneya, on Wednesday, took exception to a change in the seating arrangements for ministers in the Assembly following the recent induction of D K Shivakumar and Roshan Baig into the Cabinet.

Assembly secretariat staff has allotted new seat (No 24) in the third row to Anjaneya instead of the earlier No 22 in the second row. Seats have been changed to accommodate new Cabinet ministers who are senior to him. Shivakumar has been allotted seat No 6 in the front row, while Baig has been given seat No 12 in the second row. Seating arrangements for ministers are made in consultation with the chief minister.

On noticing the change, Anjaneya sought to know the reason from officials. Not convinced with the reply, he asked them to restore his old seat, removing a chit with the number written on it. The incident took place before Governor H R Bhardwaj arrived to address the joint session. Energy Minister Shivakumar was present when Anjaneya was yelling at the officials, but chose to ignore his colleague. Anjaneya was upset with Shivakumar for seeking to occupy rooms which were already allotted to him.