New ministers, MLAs scramble to occupy bungalows in Patna

For 15 years, they waited for a regime change in Patna to have a feel of power. And when that happened, newly elected NDA MLAs ran out of pa...

For 15 years, they waited for a regime change in Patna to have a feel of power. And when that happened, newly elected NDA MLAs ran out of patience. They have gone on a bungalow-capturing spree in Patna, not waiting for the official allotment of accommodation.

Instead of taking stock of departments allotted to them, many ministers and MLAs have busied themselves in bungalow-selection. Even last night, their men roamed the city, zeroing-in on possible homes and fixing nameplates at the gates.

Cabinet minister Baidyanath Mahto’s men went and ‘‘booked’’ a sprawling bungalow on Bailey Road, occupied for 15 years by RJD’s former minister Iliyaas Hussain. Using a red chalk, they wrote ‘‘Baidyanath Mahto, Cabinet minister’’ alongside Hussain’s nameplate. It was to pre-empt other leaders from taking the house.

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But later, another Cabinet minister Monazir Hassan, who has been given charge of the building construction department, was allotted the same bungalow. Mahto had no option but to withdraw his claim.

‘‘Writing with chalk is not going to help. Monazir Hassan is the building construction minister and he has been allotted this house,’’ said Iliyaas Hussain, now busy shifting his belongings to a rented house. He was defeated in the elections this time. The bungalow-capturing spree started with BJP MLA from Dhaka in East Champaran, Avneesh Kumar Singh, a Bhumihar leader. On Thursday night, his men reached 3, Tailor Road, fixed a nameplate, broke the lock and occupied the bungalow.

Only ministers are entitled to this bungalow but this one was special for Avneesh Kumar Singh. It had been vacated by RJD’s Bhumihar leader Akhilesh Kumar Singh after he became the Motihari MP. Akhilesh had let down Avneesh after promising him a RJD ticket in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls.

Khagaria MLA Poonam Devi Yadav, who defected from the LJP and contested this time on a JD(U) ticket, had hoped to become Rural Development minister in the new government. Her men, therefore, occupied the bungalow of the RJD’s Rural Development minister Awadh Behari Chowdhury. But Poonam Devi has still not been made minister. While she was not available for comments, her men emerging from the bungalow claimed it had been officially allotted to her. When it was pointed out that the bungalow was reserved for ministers and not MLAs, they simply shrugged and said ‘‘That we don’t know.’’

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Embarrassed by the bungalow-capturing spree, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: ‘‘It is unfortunate. Everybody will get accommodation. There is no need to get impatient.’’

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the designation gives law enforcement “enhanced powers to combat a group that has instilled fear through violence and intimidation”.

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