KATHMANDU, June 14: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is yet to move to his official residence in Baluwatar although it has been eight days since he was elected to the post of country's chief executive.
Although his personal aides cited ongoing maintenance work at the prime minister's official residence in Baluwatar, sources said Deuba is looking for auspicious day to shift to Baluwatar from his private residence at Budhanilakantha. Deuba has ordered those involved in maintenance work to make sure that his office in Baluwatar meets all necessary Vastu requirements as per the suggestions of astrologers. Vastu is a traditional Hindu system of integrating architechture with nature.
Outgoing Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had vacated the place on the same day after parliament elected Deuba as as prime minister June 6. There were expectations that Deuba, who is also the president of Nepali Congress, would immediately shift his residence to Baluwatar, keeping in view his changed role as the chief executive of the country.
PM Deuba moves to Baluwatar at auspicious hour
"Repair and maintenance had not been carried out at the prime minister's official residence for the past 10 years. As the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction is currently carrying out maintenance works, it may take another four to five days for the prime minister to shift to his official residence," said Deuba's personal secretary Keshav Raj Joshi.
Joshi dismissed suggestions that Deuba had delayed shifting to Baluwatar out of astrological considerations. "It's the masons but not astrologers who have actually caused the delay," Joshi further said.
However, senior astrologer Pandit Angiras Neupane, upon seeing Deuba's birth chart, had suggested that it would not be auspicious for Deuba to shift his residence before June 17. "June 10 was auspicious day for Deuba to move to a new residence in Baluwatar. But since it is already past, other auspicious days for Deuba to shift to new residence are now on June 18 and 19," Neupane told Republica.
It has been learnt that Deuba has a lot of faith in astrology and Vastu. It may be recalled that Deuba had ordered changing entire setting of his room at NC's party office building following his election as the head of the party.
Deuba assumed the post of party president from the same room where he used to stay as the party's senior leader. Later he shifted to another room after making new sitting arrangements based on Vastu and decided not to use the room used by the late Sushil Koirala.
