Patna: The controversy over government accommodation in Bihar has deepened after the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) wrote to the state’s building construction department seeking an explanation for the continued occupation of central pool bungalows by serving members of parliament.
In a letter addressed to the principal secretary of the department, the RJD’s national spokesperson, Professor Naval Kishore Yadav, questioned why residences from the Bihar Central Pool remain allotted to Sanjay Jha and Devesh Chandra Thakur, despite changes in their official positions. The party asked under what provisions the bungalows continue to be retained and why they have not been vacated.
Thakur, the Lok Sabha MP from Sitamarhi, and Jha, a Rajya Sabha member, have both been allotted accommodation in Delhi as well, the RJD said. According to the letter, the two leaders were originally given central pool residences in Patna due to their earlier roles as chairman of the legislative council and as a state minister respectively, but have continued to occupy the properties after assuming new offices.
The party also raised questions about Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Union minister, asking why he is residing in a bungalow from the Patna central pool and under which rules the accommodation has been retained. The RJD alleged that political influence may be at play in allowing certain leaders to continue occupying government residences and criticised the department for not issuing a clear public explanation.
The latest letter comes against the backdrop of a simmering dispute over the eviction of former Bihar chief minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi from her official residence at 10 Circular Road in Patna. The building construction department had served her a notice to vacate the bungalow and allotted her an alternative residence at 39 Harding Road. Rabri Devi, however, has said she will move to her private home instead of shifting to another government property.
The issue has sparked a broader political debate between the ruling alliance and the opposition over the use of government accommodation. The RJD maintains that rules governing public property must be applied uniformly, without special privileges for those in power.
Officials from the building construction department have yet to publicly respond to the latest queries. Meanwhile, the dispute continues to fuel tensions in Bihar’s political landscape, with opposition leaders framing the matter as one of fairness and accountability in the use of state resources.
