Rabri Devi bungalow row: BJP says no one above law in Bihar
Synopsis
A government bungalow at 10 Circular Road, Patna has become the latest flashpoint between Bihar's ruling NDA and the RJD. Rabri Devi's reported refusal to vacate has drawn a sharp rule-of-law rebuke from BJP's Sanjay Saraogi — while the RJD counters that the eviction is politically motivated and selectively timed.
Key Takeaways
Former Chief Minister Rabri Devi reportedly refused to vacate the government bungalow at 10 Circular Road, Patna despite official eviction notices.
BJP State President Sanjay Saraogi stated that government residences are public assets and must be vacated in accordance with the law.
Saraogi alleged that the Lalu Prasad Yadav family has historically treated political power and state resources as personal entitlements.
RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan said Rabri Devi has resided at the bungalow for nearly two decades and serves as Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council .
The RJD accused the NDA government of applying rules selectively and abandoning democratic decorum.
A political storm has erupted in Patna over the government bungalow at 10 Circular Road, with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) locked in a bitter exchange after former Chief Minister Rabri Devi reportedly refused to vacate the state-allotted residence despite receiving official eviction notices.
BJP's Position: Rule of Law Is Non-Negotiable
Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Sanjay Saraogi came out strongly against Rabri Devi's reported defiance, asserting that the rule of law applies uniformly in Bihar regardless of political standing. 'The government's residences are public assets maintained with taxpayers' money and are allotted strictly according to government rules and procedures,' Saraogi said.
He argued that resistance to official orders undermines democratic values and constitutional norms. Saraogi further alleged that the politics of the Lalu Prasad Yadav family has historically been shaped by a belief that political power and state resources are personal entitlements rather than public trusts — a mindset he claimed Bihar's citizens have grown unwilling to accept.
Saraogi also raised a pointed political question, asking whether Rabri Devi objected to a member of the Dalit community being allotted a spacious government residence, and whether such accommodation should be the preserve of only a privileged few.
RJD Hits Back: Democratic Decorum Under Threat
RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan rejected the government's position outright, accusing the NDA of abandoning democratic propriety and political decorum. He pointed out that Rabri Devi has resided at 10 Circular Road for nearly two decades and currently holds the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council — in addition to being a former Chief Minister — and questioned the urgency of her relocation.
Gagan also challenged the government's invocation of rules, citing past instances in which official residences earmarked for constitutional positions were allegedly reallocated for other purposes. He questioned why alternative arrangements were possible in those cases but not for Rabri Devi.
The Broader Stakes
According to Gagan, the dispute extends well beyond a single government bungalow. He argued it raises fundamental questions about democratic norms, institutional respect, and the treatment of opposition leaders in a parliamentary democracy. He maintained that rules must be applied with transparency and consistency — not selectively deployed for political convenience.
This comes amid a charged political climate in Bihar, where the NDA government and the RJD-led opposition have been at odds on multiple fronts ahead of the state's evolving electoral landscape. The outcome of the bungalow dispute is likely to reverberate beyond Patna's corridors of power, with both sides framing it as a test of constitutional principles.
Point of View
The selective urgency here demands explanation. What is missing from both sides is a transparent, publicly available record of how Bihar allocates and reclaims official residences — without that baseline, the rule-of-law argument cuts both ways.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Rabri Devi being asked to vacate the 10 Circular Road bungalow in Patna?
The Bihar state government issued eviction notices to former Chief Minister Rabri Devi to vacate the government bungalow at 10 Circular Road, Patna. The BJP argues that official residences are public assets allotted under specific rules and must be returned once the qualifying criteria no longer apply.
What has the BJP said about the eviction row?
BJP Bihar State President Sanjay Saraogi said no individual is above the law and that government residences must be vacated in accordance with established rules. He also alleged that the Lalu Prasad Yadav family has historically treated state resources as personal entitlements.
How has the RJD responded to the eviction notice?
RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan accused the NDA government of selective rule enforcement and abandoning democratic decorum. He noted that Rabri Devi has lived at the bungalow for nearly two decades and currently serves as Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council.
What is the broader significance of the bungalow dispute?
The RJD argues the dispute goes beyond a single residence and raises questions about democratic norms, institutional respect, and equal treatment of opposition leaders. Critics on both sides see it as a test of whether rules are applied uniformly in Bihar's political landscape.
Has this kind of dispute happened before in Bihar?
The RJD cited past instances in which official residences earmarked for constitutional positions were reportedly reallocated for other purposes, questioning why similar flexibility was not extended to Rabri Devi. The BJP has not publicly addressed those specific precedents.
