Patna: Rabri Devi, the former chief minister of Bihar and currently Leader of the Opposition in the state’s Legislative Council, has been allocated a new government residence — yet the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader is refusing to vacate the bungalow she has occupied for nearly two decades.
A notice from the state’s Building Construction Department directed Devi to relocate from 10 Circular Road in Patna to a government residence at 39 Harding Road. The property, one of the largest ministerial bungalows in Bihar, has been allotted to her in line with the official privileges of the opposition leader. However, Devi’s family and the RJD have resisted the order, alleging political motives behind the decision.
The Harding Road residence includes six bedrooms, a large drawing room, a dining hall and a spacious meeting area, along with a guestroom at the entrance. The interiors were recently refurbished and the premises are monitored by CCTV cameras. The compound also features expansive gardens with specialised lighting and separate quarters for staff and security personnel, who are stationed around the clock in a guard unit at the main gate.
Despite the facilities, the RJD has accused the Nitish Kumar government — backed by the BJP — of attempting to forcibly evict the former chief minister. Party leaders describe the move as a political manoeuvre targeting the Lalu Prasad family. Devi has occupied the Circular Road residence under a former policy granting accommodation to ex-chief ministers, introduced by Nitish Kumar himself. That entitlement, however, was struck down by the courts in 2017 after a petition filed by Tejashwi Yadav, then deputy chief minister and Devi’s son — a decision that now complicates her legal standing to remain in the property.
The new controversy comes at a moment of shifting political dynamics following the 2025 assembly elections. With only 25 seats in the Assembly, the RJD faces the prospect of losing the numbers required for Devi to remain Opposition leader in the Legislative Council. She currently commands 13 members, but that figure may fall in upcoming council elections. A minimum of nine seats is required to retain the position.
