After Rajya Sabha snub, Union minister RCP Singh now loses state bungalow in Patna

PATNA: It came as a bolt from the blue for Union steel minister and JDU leader RCP Singh when the Bihar government allotted the bungalow that used to be his home in Patna for 12 years to the state's chief secretary.

The development comes barely a week after Singh, once considered second in command in the JD-U after chief minister Nitish Kumar, was denied renomination to the Upper House of the parliament for a third term.

According to a notification issued by the state building construction department late on Thursday, the bungalow at 7, Strand Road, in Patna had been transferred from the Bihar legislative council pool to the central pool of bungalows.

Though 7, Strand Road bungalow was officially allotted to JDU MLC Sanjay Singh, it was being used by RCP Singh since he joined JD-U formally after opting for VRS (voluntary retirement) from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The bungalow earlier used to host workers of JDU for meetings and leaders of the party frequented RCP Singh during his stay in Patna on his arrival from New Delhi.

Singh had earlier served as general secretary and national president of the party. The bungalow hummed with activities till nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections.

The JD-U nominated former Jharkhand state chief and ex-MLA Khiru Mahto to Rajya Sabha instead of Singh whose term will come to an end on July 7.

Sources in the state building construction department said that Sanjay Singh had been allotted a new residence in Anandpuri locality in the capital. The state building construction department minister Ashok Choudhary, however, refused to make any comment on the issue.

A close confidante of RCP Singh, however, claimed that he (union minister) will be accommodated in another bungalow in the state capital.

A political analyst said that RCP will be dropped from Narendra Modi's cabinet after his term expires on July 7. JD-U parliamentary board chairman Upendra Kushwaha had earlier said that RCP Singh, who is a senior leader of the party, may be assigned some important responsibility in the organisation.