Kerala LSG Minister KM Shaji rises above superstition to claim car no. 13
Shaji had reportedly been assigned car no. 9 at first. But as it was later reassigned to Chennithala, he reportedly opted for car no. 13 without any hesitation
Finally, the UDF government’s car number 13 has got a taker. Local Self-Government Minister KM Shaji has broken a long-standing UDF superstition by choosing the vehicle number traditionally shunned by UDF ministers for its “unlucky” reputation.
The IUML leader had reportedly been assigned car number 9 at first. But as it was later reassigned to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Shaji reportedly opted for car number 13 without any hesitation.
The Federal had reported on Tuesday (May 19) how none of the newly sworn-in ministers had chosen car number 13 because of superstition. In the Oommen Chandy-led government (2011–2016) too, no minister used car number 13.
Leftist exception
However, in the Pinarayi Vijayan government 1.0 (2016–2021), both Thomas Isaac (finance minister) and CPI leader VS Sunil Kumar (agriculture minister) had volunteered for car number 13. It went to Isaac, who also chose to live in Manmohan Bungalow, which was considered jinxed, as many of its residents failed to return to the Assembly after their term.
Interestingly, Isaac did not contest the 2021 assembly elections following his party policy of not fielding leaders who had won two consecutive Assembly elections. He later contested the Pathanamthitta seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and faced defeat, further bolstering the superstition.
In 2006, MA Baby, Education Minister in the VS Achuthanandan government, also travelled in car number 13. The car was last used by former agriculture minister P Prasad in Pinarayi government 2.0 (2021–2026).