Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary slams Rabri Devi over official residence row

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary strongly criticized former chief minister Rabri Devi for refusing to vacate the government residence at 10 Circular Road in Patna, stating that the Chief Minister’s residence cannot be treated as anyone’s “personal fiefdom.”

The remarks come amid an ongoing dispute over the bungalow, which Rabri Devi and her family have occupied for years. The Bihar government recently issued a notice asking her to vacate the residence after it was allotted to another minister. However, Rabri Devi has publicly declared that she will not leave the premises voluntarily and challenged the government to evict her by force if necessary.

Responding to her refusal, Choudhary said government properties are meant for official use and must be vacated in accordance with established rules. He asserted that no individual or political family can claim permanent ownership over a government residence, emphasizing that public assets belong to the state and not to any particular leader.

The residence dispute has sparked a fresh political confrontation between the ruling NDA government and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). While the RJD has alleged political vendetta behind the move, the state government maintains that the eviction notice is part of a routine administrative process following the reallocation of the bungalow.