New twist in Bihar’s 10 Circular Road battle as Lalu-Rabri send security staff away

Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav have asked the remaining security personnel stationed outside their Patna residence to leave, days after the Bihar government revised their security arrangements and withdrew their Z-plus cover.

The move comes against the backdrop of an escalating dispute over the family’s long-time residence at 10 Circular Road, which the Bihar government has directed Rabri Devi to vacate. The bungalow has now been allotted to Bihar minister Nand Kishore Ram, while the state maintains that an alternative government accommodation had already been provided to Rabri Devi in her capacity as Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council.

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According to sources familiar with the development, all personnel deployed under the revised security arrangement were sent back from the residence on Saturday, leaving the premises without the security presence that had remained after the withdrawal of the higher security category.

The government has issued a notice asking Rabri Devi to shift from the official residence, stating that she had not moved to the accommodation allotted to her on Hardinge Road despite being provided the alternative arrangement.

The issue has also triggered a political exchange between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and the RJD.

Speaking at a public event in Sheikhpura earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary criticised former occupants who continue to stay in official residences after leaving office.

“The Chief Minister’s residence belongs to the people. It cannot be treated as anyone’s personal fiefdom or ancestral property,” Chaudhary said. He also claimed that he had vacated government accommodation within 24 hours after demitting office.

The chief minister reiterated that government residences are meant strictly for official use and should be surrendered once a tenure ends.

Rabri Devi, however, had earlier struck a defiant note while responding to the government’s notice.

“They can call the force to vacate the place, but I will not vacate the place,” she told reporters.

The bungalow at 10 Circular Road has been closely associated with the political journey of Lalu Prasad Yadav and the RJD for decades. Rabri Devi operated from the residence during her tenure as Bihar chief minister, and the address has remained one of the party’s most recognisable political landmarks.

The Bihar government has given the Lalu family 15 days to vacate the premises, setting a mid-June deadline for handing over possession of the bungalow.