SC’s ruling on bungalows to former CMs catches Bihar BJP on wrong foot

Patna,(BiharTimes): Unlike in Uttar Pradesh the Supreme Court’s Monday order banning allotment of official bungalows to former chief ministers for life is not likely to have an immediate impact in Bihar because the Nitish Kumar government, during its first term (2005-10), had passed a law that former CMs will be entitled to bungalows and security for life.

It is other thing that now Sushil Kumar Modi, who was then the deputy CM, is criticizing Nitish Kumar on this very count.

The apex court ruling essentially came in context of UP after a Lucknow-based NGO, Lok Prahari, filed a petition.

Ironically, the order will have its impact more on BJP leaders than anyone else in that state.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP leadr Mayawati, another BJP leader and Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh, MP governor Ram Naresh Yadav and former governor of Andhra Pradesh, N D Tiwary will hve to leave their bungalows in Lucknow and pay the rent for the period they have occupied them.

The case of Rajnath, Kalyan and Ram Naresh is even more curiouser as they have huge bungalows in Delhi, Jaipur and Bhopal respectively.

But in Bihar Nitish played it safe by getting a law legislated in this context. It is on this basis that he is in possession of two bungalows––one as CM and other as former chief minister.

In case of UP it was executive instructions without any statutory law passed by the Assembly, therefore, SC ordered all of them to vacate.

In Bihar apart from Nitish, there are five other former CMs. They are Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Dr Jaganath Mishra, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Satish Prasad Singh, who served only for three days.

But Lalu and Rabri are living in one house allotted in the name of the latter while the other former CMs are enjoying this benefit.

The Supreme Court order has landed the Bihar BJP in an embarrassing position. Though Sushil Modi has repeatedly been criticizing Nitish for occupying two bungalows in Patna the apex court judgement has made it clear that in UP the BJP is doing exactly the same. Their leading light––the Union home minister and Rajasthan governor––are occupying bungalows in Lucknow.

However, after the SC’s ruling Nitish told the mediapersons that he does not have any attraction for bungalow and was ready to vacate it anytime.