'This not a monarchy, mother needs one bungalow, son needs another': Bihar CM takes swipe at Rabri Devi over refusal to vacate house

Samrat cited his own example to Rabri saying this was his 11th government bungalow allotted to him in the last 30 years.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday took a swipe at former CM Rabri Devi over her refusal to vacate the official residence allotted to her.

Choudhary said, "This is not a monarchy where you live in a house lifelong."

Samrat, the first BJP’s Chief Minister in Bihar, who, incidentally, started his political career as a minister in the Rabri Devi Government in 1999, cited his own example to Rabri saying this was his 11th government bungalow allotted to him in the last 30 years.

“A government accommodation keeps changing as per the situation. This is not someone’s ‘bapauti’ (inheritance from father). But here we have a case where a mother needs a separate bungalow, while the son needs a separate bungalow. This is not monarchy,” said Samrat, while addressing a Sahyog camp here on Tuesday, in an oblique reference to Rabri Devi and her son Tejashwi Yadav.

Notably, Rabri Devi, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, has been staying at 10, Circular Road in Patna in her capacity as a former CM and LoP in the Council. Her husband and former CM Lalu Prasad too stays in the same official bungalow which is just a stone's throw distance from Lok Bhavan (where Governor stays) and the CM’s residence. Rabri’s son Tejashwi Yadav, who is Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, stays at 1, Polo Road.

However, recently, Rabri was allotted a separate house- 39, Hardinge Road and was served a notice by the Building Construction Department to shift to the new house allotted to her. However, Rabri challenged her former protege Samrat and refused to vacate the house saying if 'you have the guts, remove me from here forcibly'.

It was against this backdrop that the Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had to remind Rabri on Tuesday that it was not a monarchy nor anyone’s Baputi (inheritance from father).

Rabri’s close aide and former Finance Minister of Bihar, Abdul Bari Siddiqui reacted to the row, saying, "What has changed in the status of Rabri Devi in the last few months that she has been asked to vacate the house. If the former CM Nitish Kumar can be allotted two bungalows – one in New Delhi and the one in Patna, and the same case with Jitan Ram Manjhi (a Union Minister as well as a former CM), then why can’t former CM Rabri Devi be allowed to stay where she is staying along with her husband and another former CM."