SHEIKHPURA, BIHAR — Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday made a veiled remark targeting the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the state’s principal opposition party, which has expressed strong disapproval over the allocation of a bungalow previously occupied by former Chief Minister Rabri Devi to a current minister.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Choudhary, while addressing a gathering at the Sahyog camp in Sheikhpura, alluded to the ongoing dispute without explicitly naming the opposition party or its prominent leaders. He stated, “It is not a monarchy. The mother wants one house, and the son desires another.”
The Sahyog camp is a newly initiated state government program aimed at expediting the resolution of public grievances across various government departments. The Chief Minister’s comments come amid a controversy surrounding the housing arrangements of political leaders in the state.
Rabri Devi, a former Chief Minister of Bihar, has reportedly refused to vacate her residence at 10, Circular Road. She has been offered an alternative accommodation at 39, Hardinge Road, in her capacity as the leader of the opposition in the state legislative council. Meanwhile, her son, Tejashwi Yadav, who serves as the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, currently resides at 1, Polo Road.
Choudhary, who previously served as Deputy Chief Minister for two years before becoming the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader to head a government in Bihar, asserted that he has not resided in a government bungalow for several years, preferring his private residence. He mentioned that he agreed to operate from 1, Anney Marg, the official Chief Minister’s residence now renamed Lok Sevak Bhavan, only at the insistence of his predecessor, Nitish Kumar, who had stepped down from the Chief Minister’s post to enter the Rajya Sabha.
The Chief Minister highlighted Nitish Kumar’s promptness in vacating his official residence, stating, “Nitish Kumar ji set an example by taking no time in vacating his official residence. And I must say that the day my leaders tell me to step down, I will pack my bags and leave, without batting an eyelid.”
The RJD has frequently reminded Choudhary of his political beginnings as a minister in Rabri Devi’s cabinet. In response, the BJP leader directed his criticism towards the opposition party, suggesting that some individuals perceive government bungalows as a form of inheritance or “bapauti.” He reiterated his earlier sentiment by stating, “One house is needed for the mother and another for the son. This is not a monarchy.”
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The Chenab Times News Desk
