Rabri Devi (File photo)
NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Wednesday asserted that former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, wife of party supremo and ex-CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, will not vacate the government bungalow she has been living in for the past two decades, despite instructions to do so.The RJD’s Bihar unit chief, Mangani Lal Mandal, made the remark a day after the state building construction department issued a notification directing Rabri Devi to shift to 39, Hardinge Road, which has been “earmarked” as the residence of the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, a post she currently holds.Speaking to reporters, Mandal said the residence at 10, Circular Road, situated directly across from chief minister Nitish Kumar’s official residence at 1, Anney Marg, “will not be vacated, come what may.”He accused the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of harbouring “malice” against Lalu Prasad Yadav: “Why did Nitish Kumar wait for two decades before earmarking a government bungalow for the leader of the opposition in the legislative council? And if it was necessary, why did the government not earmark 10, Circular Road? They should have considered that its occupants, Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, have both served as chief ministers,” he told reporters, according to PTI. Mandal further alleged that Kumar, who leads the Janata Dal (United), took the decision to ask Rabri Devi to vacate the residence in order to “appease” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, the JD(U)’s alliance partner that emerged as the largest party in Bihar after the NDA’s recent assembly sweep.”Nitish Kumar has taken the decision to curry favour with the BJP. The JD(U) supremo has been rattled by the aggression of his alliance partner, which forced him to give up the Home portfolio he held so dear. Knowing the BJP’s ill-will towards Lalu ji, Nitish Kumar has tried to appease Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ilk by insulting our leader,” Mandal added, warning the BJP not to “belittle” the RJD and its leaders.State minister Santosh Kumar Suman, however, pointed to a court ruling, noting that the bungalow had originally been allotted to Rabri Devi under a provision granting a “life-long” residence to former chief ministers.“That provision had to be scrapped following an Allahabad High Court ruling a few years ago. In any case, we are not depriving Rabri Devi of the bungalow. Moreover, the government has the right to decide which bungalow should be allotted to whom,” Suman noted. Go to Source