Political row erupts in Bihar over prime govt bungalow as Rabri Devi rejects eviction

A new political showdown has ignited in Bihar concerning a prime government bungalow, which former Chief Minister and RJD matriarch Rabri Devi refuses to yield, declining to relocate and clear the residence currently designated for an NDA cabinet minister.

Via an official directive on May 27, the building construction department reassigned the coveted 10, Circular Road estate—positioned a short distance from both the Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister's official residence—to Nand Kishor Ram, the Minister for Dairy and Fisheries.

Rabri Devi, who was traveling out of state when the eviction notice was delivered, lost her temper at the local airport when reporters swarmed her to demand a response regarding the property reassignment.

She said: "I can see Samrat Choudhary is quite excited upon becoming the chief minister. Let his government evict me by force. I am not going to vacate the house."

Significantly, the residence she has inhabited for more than ten years was originally provided to her under her entitlement as a former Chief Minister by the prior administration led by JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar.

The legislative council's current Opposition Leader was initially instructed by state authorities to vacate the premises in November of last year, a period during which Nitish Kumar was still chief minister.

At that juncture, the building construction department's official announcement stated that 10, Circular Road was being transferred to Vijay Kumar Sinha, who was serving as a Deputy CM.

Nevertheless, Sinha, a prominent BJP figure who maintains a cabinet seat but no longer holds the deputy CM title, was blocked from moving into the high-profile residence because Rabri Devi flatly refused to vacate the property.

Commenting on the ongoing standoff, senior JD(U) politician Leshi Singh, who oversees the building construction ministry, affirmed that the previous mandate allocating 39, Hardinge Road to the legislative council's opposition leader remains in effect.

"So, Rabri Devi would do better to shift to that house," the minister said.

"We are not concerned with whether she had complied with the earlier order or not. But, the fact remains that it is the government's prerogative to allot these bungalows to a dignitary it deems proper. Any occupant cannot stake claim on a particular bungalow as a matter of right. We hope that as a former CM, Rabri Devi understands this and acts accordingly", said Singh.

Rabri Devi, whose spouse Lalu Prasad founded and leads the RJD, frequently enjoys reminding Choudhary—the initial BJP figure to spearhead a Bihar administration—that he once functioned as a minister under her past cabinet.

She shares the expansive residence with her husband, whom she replaced as chief minister back in 1997, and the massive estate has long functioned as the de facto headquarters for the state's main opposition party.

Their youngest son Tejashwi Yadav, who serves as the RJD's working president, also passes the bulk of his time at 10, Circular Road, even though he is assigned 1, Polo Road due to his role as the assembly's opposition leader.

In the meantime, the government is visibly ramping up enforcement on the prominent RJD political dynasty to hand over the estate, as a substantial force of law enforcement personnel has been stationed around the compound.

By Saturday afternoon, Deputy Superintendent of Police Annu Kumari, in charge of the area, was seen walking into the residence, reportedly carrying executive orders to persuade the 67-year-old opposition figure to comply.

Yet, the police official's intervention apparently yielded no results, as she emerged from the property just moments later and hurried away, ignoring a barrage of inquiries from the gathering of media personnel waiting outside.

Reacting to the confrontation, RJD representative Chittaranjan Gagan released a fierce public address, condemning the governing NDA coalition for its " spiteful treatment to the opposition."