Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi may have to vacate their official sprawling bungalow in Pata following the party's humiliating defeat in the recent assembly elections in the state.
A senior official of the building department told rediff.com in Patna on Friday that Rabri Devi may have to vacate the bungalow that has been officially designated to leader of opposition of the House.
"Rabri Devi is no more the leader of Opposition, she may have to vacate the house within six months," the official said.
Interestingly, the landslide victory of National Democratic Alliance in the assembly polls has created a constitutional crisis of sought in Bihar. No political party has qualified as the opposition party to sit in the opposition bench this time, as it requires at least 10 percent seats of total strength of the assembly.
"The party which wants to play as the opposition party needs at least 24 seats in the 243 member Bihar assembly," an official of the state assembly said.
The RJD has emerged as the biggest opposition party with only 22 seats. While its pre-poll ally Lok Janshakti Party got three seats. The Congress has won four and Communist Party of India one seat.
However, both Lalu-Rabri are entitled for a bungalow by virtue of being the former chief ministers of Bihar.
"A law was passed by Lalu during his stint as the chief minister that a former chief minister is entitled for a government accommodation in the state capital," a government official said.
Five years ago after Lalu-Rabri were ousted from power, they were forced to vacate the sprawling bungalow at Patna's Anne Marg, and shifted to 10 Circular Road bungalow.
Lalu-Rabri and their family members lived in the bungalow for 15 years from March 10, 1990 to 2005.
A RJD leader said they moved into the palatial building along with their nine children when Lalu Prasad became the chief minister.
Till that time the family was staying in a government quarter meant for peons, allotted to Lalu Prasad's brother who worked in a college.
