When Lalu made Nitish ‘homeless’ twice, did the cycle turn and history repeat itself?

Patna. History repeats itself… The old saying is proving right again in the politics of Bihar. On November 25, Nitish Kumar led Bihar government has given notice to former Chief Minister Rabri Devi to vacate the government bungalow at 10 Circular Road. This is the same bungalow where Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family was living for the last 20 years. RJD is calling it ‘Nitish’s revenge’, but the reality of this controversy and the entire matter is the opposite. According to the experts of Bihar politics, the real fact is that in the 1990s, Lalu Yadav had made Nitish Kumar homeless not only once but twice. It is being said that today when Nitish is in power, the same cycle has turned. It is clear that this story of government residence or government bungalow in Bihar is telling the ups and downs of the politics of Bihar, where friendship turns into enmity. But, what is being said in this matter is not true, because Nitish Kumar has done the politics of change and generosity, not change. But, first let’s talk about the incident when Lalu Yadav played his role in rendering Nitish Kumar homeless.

1990s: VP Singh government fell, Nitish returned to Patna.

Nitish’s return to Patna was not easy because of Lalu Yadav.

Homeless for the first time: friend Arun Kumar’s flat hurt by transfer

Ashok Kumar Sharma says that after not getting the Circuit House in Patna, Nitish Kumar remembered his old friend Arun Kumar. Arun Kumar and Nitish Kumar were friends since the days of Bihar Engineering College (now NIT Patna). Arun Kumar was then working in a government job in Patna. He had bungalow number F-4 lying vacant in Punaichak locality, near the secretariat. Arun Kumar then told Nitish Kumar like an elder brother – the house is vacant, stay with the family! Nitish Kumar then shifted there with his wife Manju Sinha and son Nishant. Nitish Kumar’s wife was a teacher in a high school, so it was necessary for the family to stay in Patna. But, Lalu Yadav’s attention fell on this also.

Nitish Kumar-Lalu Yadav’s friendship-enmity and change of political times, Nitish Kumar was homeless along with his wife in 1990, he was not even allowed to stay at his friend’s government residence. Now in 2025 Rabri Devi Bungalow controversy is in front.

Then Nitish Kumar had to pack his things.

Ashok Kumar Sharma says that in fact, Lalu Yadav was afraid that if Nitish Kumar becomes permanent in Bihar, his path in politics may become difficult. It is said that Lalu Yadav immediately got Arun Kumar transferred out of Patna. Along with this, the government flat (in which Nitish Kumar lived) was given to another employee. In such a situation, Nitish Kumar again had to pack his luggage. Experts say that this was the first time when Lalu Yadav had made Nitish Kumar homeless, that too only because in his eyes he seemed to be a threat to power politics. It is said that then for the first time Nitish Kumar felt that Lalu Yadav’s love for power had swallowed even his old friendship.

Homeless for the second time: When Lalu was left helpless with Vinay Kumar

After becoming homeless for the first time, Nitish Kumar took the help of businessman friend and colleague Vinay Kumar for the second time. Vinay Kumar was not a government employee, hence his private flat in Patna was out of the reach of Lalu Yadav. Vinay and Nitish were friends since the early days of their political career. Nitish Kumar’s family shifted there. This place was so secure that Lalu could not do anything, because Lalu Yadav’s power was limited to the government machinery, but not to private property.

The real example of the deep friendship between Nitish Kumar and Vinay Kumar was seen in 2005, when Nitish became the Chief Minister of Bihar for the first time. When he reached Patna from Delhi for the oath taking ceremony, he stayed directly at Vinay Kumar’s flat. Nitish got ready in one room, his close aide RCP Singh in the other. Then both of them left Vinay Kumar’s house for the oath taking ceremony. In such a situation, this incident shows how personal friendship saved Nitish Kumar from political troubles. As soon as he became the Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar got the official bungalow at 1 Anne Marg and in the last two decades, except for a few months, he has been living in this bungalow permanently.

In the year 2005, Nitish Kumar took shelter in the private flat of his friend and businessman Vinay Kumar in Patna. It was from here that he had gone with close friend RCP Singh to take oath as CM.

Nitish’s generosity: Not politics of revenge, changed the rules

Ashok Kumar Sharma says that despite these bitter experiences of the 1990s, when Nitish Kumar came to power in 2005, he showed generosity instead of revenge. When Rabri Devi had to move out of 1 Anne Marg, Nitish got her a bungalow at 10 Circular Road allotted. But, the real step was taken in 2006 when Nitish changed the government rules and provided lifelong government accommodation facility to former Chief Ministers. Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi got direct benefit from this. He lived in 10 Circular Road for 19 years which became the political center of RJD. It was the political maturity of CM Nitish that he forgot the old bitterness and chose the path of cooperation. Nitish Kumar had said, enmity in politics does not last long. But in the year 2019, while hearing a petition by Lalu Yadav’s own son Tejashwi Yadav, the Patna High Court declared this rule and system unconstitutional. The court said that giving lifelong bungalows to former Chief Ministers is a misuse of public money. After this decision of the court, the rules of allocation changed.

Today’s Politics: Bangla Notice and the lie of political revenge

Now, after NDA’s massive victory (202 seats) in Bihar Assembly elections in 2025, Nitish government has allotted a new bungalow at 39 Harding Road to Rabri. But, the notice to vacate the old bungalow is based on the High Court decision of 2019 and not due to personal enmity. As a former Chief Minister, Rabri Devi was allotted circular 10, but now as the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, she has been allotted a luxurious bungalow at 39 Harding Road. However, there is no doubt that the Rabri-Lalu family is attached to the bungalow at 10 Circular Road because they have been living in the bungalow at 10 Circular Road for the last two decades. This is why RJD has called it an ‘insult’. Lalu Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya wrote on social media, Good Governance Babu’s model focuses on humiliating Lalu ji. You can throw him out of the house, but not from the hearts of the people. RJD state president Mangani Lal Mandal said, we will not leave the bungalow, no matter what happens. At the same time, BJP retorted that this is following the rules, not revenge.

CM Nitish Kumar had arranged lifelong government accommodation for former Chief Ministers. Former Chief Minister Rabri Devi was allotted a bungalow at 10 Circular Road. But, the decision of Patna High Court in 2019 on the petition of Tejashwi Yadav fell heavily on the Lalu family.

Now again the same question – political blow or system blow?

Most of the opposition parties including RJD allege that Nitish Kumar is doing this to please ally BJP. But, Ashok Kumar Sharma says that political history shows that Nitish Kumar has never taken any retaliatory action. Due to the court decision of the year 2019, the bungalows of former Chief Ministers like Jagannath Mishra, Jitan Ram Manjhi were also taken back. Rabri has got a new bungalow as the leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council. Still, the Lalu family sees this controversy as revenge for the 2025 election defeat. NDA’s victory reduced RJD to 25 seats and now being asked to leave the bungalow is certainly painful for the Lalu family.

Lalu family will have to leave their old house after 20 years

If times have changed, the changing form of friendship is also coming to the fore, because times have also changed. After coming to power, Nitish Kumar changed the government rules and provided facilities like accommodation to former Chief Ministers. Perhaps he was sad about Lalu Yadav’s ouster from power, that is why he made this change. But today, while ordering Lalu Yadav to change his bungalow, Nitish Kumar must have remembered the old things, yet he has kept his decision intact. The action taken at present appears to be in compliance with court directions and administrative rules. However, in politics it is also being seen as emotional and symbolic. However, this story of friendship-enmity of Lalu-Nitish in the politics of Bihar reminds again and again that the cycle of power never stops. Brotherhood or enmity is temporary, but history is permanent. Time will tell where this controversy will end.