Breaking news! An unnamed numerologist seems to have found what’s ailing Karnataka politics. The reason the state hasn’t seen more than two Chief Ministers who’ve completed a term in 40 years – the reason our current Chief Minister-in-waiting specifically has had poor luck with hanging on to his chair – is because of a ‘d’. The second ‘d’ in Yeddyurappa has now been replaced with an ‘i’, because a numerologist said it will bring him better luck.
And so, for the last few days, it’s Yediyurappa’s letterhead that is doing the rounds, whether in his letter staking claim to the Governor, or his missive to Home Minister Amit Shah. Or Amith Shah. We’re not sure whether that’s a typo, or if Yediyurappa has advised the Home Minister to South Indianise his name for the sake of numerology, now that the BJP has made its re-entry into South India.
Sources in the Chief Minister-in-waiting BS Yediyurappa’s team confirmed to TNM that the change in spelling was in the hope of better fortune. The politician used the spelling Yediyurappa until 2007, but after his stint as Chief Minister in 2007 ended in just seven days, he dropped the ‘i’ and added a ‘d’ on the advice of his family numerologist. However, his subsequent tenures as CM lasted three years (2008 to 2011) and two days (2018) respectively.
And so, once again, there’s a change in spelling. “The numerologist had suggested that he should go back to using Yediyurappa as his political career had not changed since he changed it in 2008. He hopes it will change his political career, before he retires as the state President at least,” his associate told TNM. The name board outside his office in Vidhana Soudha, his Twitter display name, his letterhead have all been changed to the old-new spelling. His official Facebook handle however still bears the old name, at the time of writing.
According to DP Satish, a senior editor with CNN-News18, the leader’s name has metamorphosed several times before as well. “In the early 1980s, it was Yadiyoorappa. In the 1990s changed to Yediyurappa. In late 2000s changed to Yeddyurappa after his visit to USA. In 2019, back to Yediyurappa,” DP Satish tweeted.
In the early 1980s, it was Yadiyoorappa. In the 1990s changed to Yediyurappa. In late 2000s changed to Yeddyurappa after his visit to USA. In 2019, back to Yediyurappa. Don't ask what's in a name. Sorry "Spelling". #ReturnOfYediyurappa #Karnataka
— DP SATISH (@dp_satish) July 26, 2019
But will BSY (the acronym remains the same) changing the spelling of his name change anything for the people of Karnataka who have been subjected to frustrating politics for decades now? Will the ‘i’ instead of ‘d’ mean better governance, a stable government, and leaders who are not, time and again, jumping into buses and planes and crashing into resorts?
Well, a Common-Sense-ologist that this reporter may or may not have spoken to believes that spellings won’t matter as long as politicians continue to take democracy and the voter for granted. And if the people of Karnataka want better politics, all representatives who are not accountable for their actions should be dropped like alphabets in superstitious politicians’ names.
Views expressed are the author’s own.