9 is number of choice for newly inducted Karnataka ministers

BENGALURU: Officials of the department of personnel and administrative services (DPAR) were surprised when a huge majority of the ministers inducted into chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s council of ministers last week demanded official vehicles bearing registration numbers either ending in nine or adding to nine.
"We’ve had ministers either asking for a specific number or not caring about it at all, but this is the first time a majority of new ministers were after one number - nine," a senior DPAR official said.
The ministers, however, said it had nothing to do with numerology or astrology. KR Pete MLA KC Narayanagowda’s vehicle bears registration number 2727. Sources say Narayanagowda had written to the department demanding a vehicle whose registration number adds to nine.
Hirekerur MLA BC Patil, who took oath along with Narayanagowda, has got a car with the registration number 0009. Patil insisted it wasn’t a collective decision by the defectors-turned-ministers nor was it designed.
"I chose the number thinking it is a lucky number. I did not contact any astrologer," he said, adding: "When I won the 2018 assembly polls with 555 votes, I bought a vehicle with the same number assuming it to be lucky. Now, I chose number nine, but it is not that I planned always to have it."
ST Somashekar’s Innova Crysta bears the registration 0045. "I never believed in numerology," the Yeshwantpur MLA and minister said. "How can nine be a lucky number for me? I have already suffered for six months. I certainly did not ask for any specific number."
But sources say the new ministers chose the number as they think their decision to shift parties in 2019 gave their political careers a major boost. Also, they were influenced by the fact that Yediyurappa proved his majority in the assembly on July 29, 2019.
Vijayanagar MLA Anand Singh has also got an Innova Crysta bearing the number 4999. "I feel 9 is now my lucky number. I have not contacted any numerolgist," Singh said.
Shivaram Hebbar of Yellapur constituency bucked the trend. He opted for 6000. Hebbar said he chose the vehicle because it was in good condition and not for the number.
Astrologer S Krishna Kumar, who is also director of the astrology course at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, said vehicle owners prefer registration numbers ending or adding up to 9 or 5. “In numerology, these two numbers are auspicious. Vehicles with these registration numbers are expected to bring good things to owners and also ward off bad things,” he said.