Notwithstanding the Supreme Court order, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav appear not very keen on giving up the official bungalows allotted to them.
While Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party has declared the official residence occupied by her as a memorial for party founder Kanshi Ram, the Samajwadi Party chief has sought two years’ time to vacate the premises arguing he does not have other place where he could live with his kind of security cover.
Apex court order
The development comes despite the apex court’s May 7 order that former Chief Ministers cannot occupy their official residence after demitting office, and a Uttar Pradesh government notification on May 17 asking the ex-CMs to vacate their official bungalows within 15 days.
As Ms. Mayawati makes preparations to shift to a new house, a board came up on Monday at the government bungalow which she currently occupies — 13 A Mall Avenue — declaring it as ‘Sri Kanshi Ram Ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal’ (Sri Kanshi Ram ji Memorial Rest House); she will move just across the road to the 9, Mall Avenue bungalow which she had bought in 2010. The board also carries a picture of BSP founder ideologue Kanshi Ram.
“The party chief (Mayawati) will vacate the government accommodation well before the 15 days given by the State’s Estate Department,” a BSP functionary said.
“As per our knowledge, the bungalow was allotted to Mayawati in her capacity as a former CM. But since a board has come up there in the name of Kanshi Ram ji, we will look into our records,” said a senior officer of the Estate Department.
Also on Monday, Mr. Yadav wrote a letter to the State Estate Officer asking that he be allowed to live in his 4, Vikramaditya Marg residence for two more years.
Z-plus security cover
“The administration has also provided me Z-plus security cover (including NSG commandos) for which I need adequate space. Being the current national president of Samajwadi Party, I have various visitors,” Mr. Yadav wrote.
Besides the SP and BSP chiefs, the May 17 notice was issued to four other former Chief Ministers — Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, and Rajnath Singh.
Mr. Rajnath Singh, currently the Union Home Minister, has made the first move to shift to his private house in the Gomti Nagar area of the State capital.
