The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has allotted the government bungalow vacated by Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati to Samajwadi Secular Morcha founder Shivpal Yadav.
“I have been allotted the bungalow as there were intelligence reports of threats to me,” said Shivpal Yadav, who is Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav’s brother and the estranged uncle of party president Akhilesh Yadav. “I am a five-time legislator and it has been allotted to me as a senior member of the Assembly,” he said.
Mr. Shivpal Yadav said he had applied for a government bungalow, and the one at 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg was allotted to him “following all rules and regulations”.
The Congress suggested favouritism in the allocation, saying Mr. Shivpal Yadav was working for the ruling BJP.
Mr. Shivpal Yadav has, however, ruled out any tie-up with the BJP. A close confidant of the MLA said he might run the Samajwadi Secular Morcha from the bungalow now allotted to him.
While launching the Morcha in August, Mr. Shivpal Yadav said he felt neglected in the SP after Mr. Akhilesh Yadav took charge of the party.
Mr. Shivpal Yadav has not quit the SP even after forming the Morcha, which he says will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
State government officials did not comment on the bungalow allocation.
State BJP spokesman Shalabh Mani Tripathi said “no politics should be seen in it”.
“He is a very senior leader, a former Minister and a legislator. His seniority must have been taken into account for the allotment of this bungalow by the government,” he added.
Morcha formed under pressure from BJP: Congress
When contacted, U.P. Congress spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi claimed that Mr. Shivpal Yadav formed his Morcha under pressure from the BJP. “The allotment of a prime bungalow to Shivpal shows that BJP is helping him. Shivpal is working for the BJP,” he said.
Ms. Mayawati vacated the bungalow after the Supreme Court struck down on May 7 an amendment to the Uttar Pradesh Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act that allowed former Chief Ministers to retain their government accommodation when their term ended.
After this, former Chief Ministers including Ms. Mayawati, Mr. Mulayam, Mr. Akhilesh, Mr. Narain Dutt Tiwari, and Mr. Rajnath Singh had to vacate their bungalows in Lucknow.