Why Is Rabri Devi Being Asked To Vacate Official Residence After Two Decades, And Who Will Move In Next?

Bihar: Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi has been ordered once more to evacuate her official residence at 10 Circular Road in Patna, bringing an end to a nearly two-decade stay that has transformed the bungalow into one of Bihar's most recognisable political addresses. 

The Bihar government issued the latest notification following the allocation of the home to state minister Nand Kishore Ram. Officials have requested Rabri Devi to move to another official lodging at 39 Harding Road as the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council.

The decision has sparked a political feud, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) accusing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of pursuing and humiliating the former chief minister.  

Why Is Rabri Devi Being Asked To Leave Now?

The eviction notice may look unexpected, but its origins date back several years. In 2019, the Patna High Court ruled that awarding lifetime government residences to previous chief ministers was an inappropriate use of taxpayer-funded public resources. The court ordered numerous previous chief ministers, including Rabri Devi, Satish Prasad Singh, Jagannath Mishra, and Jitan Ram Manjhi, to abandon their respective mansions.

Following the ruling, many past chief ministers gave up their bungalows. A home previously held by Nitish Kumar as former chief minister was also reassigned to the state's chief secretary.

However, Rabri Devi remained at 10 Circular Road because the allotment was thereafter related to her role as Leader of Opposition. She was also assigned another official house at 39 Harding Road. A similar order to the Lalu-Rabri family to evacuate the bungalow had already been given in November 2025. This recent letter looks to be a continuation of that procedure.

Who Will Move Into 10 Circular Road?

According to official sources, Bihar Minister Nand Kishore Ram has now been given the mansion at 10 Circular Road. Rabri Devi has been asked by officials to evacuate her Circular Road apartment and take possession of her Harding Road accommodation as soon as possible.

RJD chief spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav responded harshly, alleging that the government was attempting to disrespect Rabri Devi. He stated that the home had been allotted to the family for more than twenty years and questioned the need of compelling the Leader of the Opposition to leave now.

Yadav also pointed out that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar continues to live on the same road, accusing NDA leaders of political arrogance in issuing such notifications. "The intention is to humiliate Rabri Devi," the RJD leader alleged.

The Politics Behind The Timing

The notification comes months after the NDA won a landslide victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

The alliance won 202 of the state's 243 Assembly seats, with the BJP emerging as the largest party with 89 seats. The shifting political equations have shifted the balance of power in Bihar. Observers observe that Nitish Kumar, while his Janata Dal (United) was the dominant power in the alliance, rarely interfered with the Lalu family's possession of the house. The renewed effort to recapture the bungalow occurs in a completely different political setting.

The House That Became A Political Landmark 

The Lalu Prasad Yadav family considers 10 Circular Road to be much more than a government home.

The mansion became the seat of Bihar's political authority in July 1997, when Rabri Devi unexpectedly became Chief Minister after Lalu Prasad Yadav was forced to quit following his time in prison in the multi-crore fodder scandal. Rabri Devi has limited political activity up to that point. Political analysts frequently recall that she was unaware she would become chief minister until Lalu told her of the choice. She was a quiet homemaker who had spent years raising nine children before abruptly becoming the state's highest political office holder.

The Accidental Chief Minister

Rabri Devi's emergence is still one of the most amazing stories in Indian politics. She was born in 1955 in Salarkalan village, Gopalganj district, and comes from a low rural family. She married Lalu Prasad Yadav in 1973 and spent the most of her early life managing family obligations. She was married at a young age and had minimal formal education, thus she had little experience with public life. In fact, Lalu reportedly hired an instructor to assist her learn how to sign her name. Prior to becoming Chief Minister, her life concentrated primarily around her family and Patna house.

When she entered politics, she seemed uneasy in the spotlight. Officials and journalists who worked with her during those early days recall that she frequently relied on advisers for direction when answering issues about governance. One of her most frequently quoted remarks from that period was: "Hum wohi karenge jo hamare saheb hamey batayange,” a reference to her husband, whom she called "saheb".

At another point, she assured people that while she would listen to her husband, she would not follow any advice she considered wrong.

More Than A ‘Rubber Stamp’

Critics often characterized Rabri Devi as a "rubber stamp" chief minister who simply followed Lalu Prasad's orders. She frequently appeared out of place at sophisticated political events and was mocked by opponents who questioned her qualifications and education. Her political career, however, touched millions of women in underserved and rural regions. For many, her rise indicated that someone from a common family could hold the highest office in Bihar.

Despite fierce criticism and persistent inspection, Rabri Devi overcame one of Bihar's most difficult eras in political history. She eventually learned to navigate the state's complex political landscape and outlasted many of those who had initially disregarded her. She went on to become Bihar's first woman Chief Minister and is still the only woman to have held the position. Now, over three decades after her surprising ascent to power and nearly twenty years after settling at 10 Circular Road, Rabri Devi confronts the prospect of leaving the address that has become synonymous with one of Bihar's most powerful political dynasties.