Patna: The state's building construction department officially allotted the high-profile government bungalow at 5, Deshratna Marg to health minister Nishant Kumar on Monday. The decision has sparked intense discussion in political circles as the spacious accommodation is traditionally designated for the state's deputy chief minister.
Nishant Kumar, the son of former chief minister Nitish Kumar, was previously assigned the 2, Deshratna Marg residence. Following a fresh reallocation order on Monday, he will now move into the more luxurious 5, Deshratna Marg address. Concurrently, state cooperative minister Ram Kripal Yadav has been allotted Nishant's previous bungalow at 2, Deshratna Marg.
Political Significance of the Bungalow
The bungalow at 5, Deshratna Marg holds immense political significance and has a history of high-profile occupants. RJD national working president Tejashwi Prasad Yadav resided there during his tenure as deputy chief minister. Most recently, it was occupied by Samrat Choudhary while serving as the state's deputy chief minister before he shifted to the chief minister's official residence, Lok Sevak Awas.
The allotment, the opposition alleges, bypasses conventional protocol since Nishant holds a cabinet minister portfolio rather than the deputy chief minister post.
Previous Plans and Controversy
Earlier, the state administration contemplated merging this address with the adjacent 1, Anne Marg to expand the chief minister's residential complex. However, the chief minister revoked that decision on June 4 following strong opposition from rival parties, maintaining 5, Deshratna Marg as an independent ministerial residence. This latest allocation successfully resolves weeks of speculation regarding who would secure the coveted VIP address.
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