Madhya Pradesh: Chouhan obliges former CMs, re-allots them bungalows

Six former chief ministers of UP may have been forced to vacate their government bungalows after the Supreme Court intervened. But in Madhya Pradesh, the government of Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ‘smartly’ defied both the letter and the spirit of a similar high court order.

The state government did cancel the allotment of bungalows to four former chief ministers following an ultimatum of July 19 set by the HC. But it then asked the former CMs to apply afresh, citing new grounds. Once the applications were received, the chief minister used his discretion to allot the same bungalows to the same people! CM’s discretion benefitted Kailash Joshi, Uma Bharti and Babu Lal Gaur.

The fourth former CM, Digvijay Singh, refused to apply afresh and had to vacate the bungalow.

Joshi applied afresh as a social worker, Uma Bharti, who is a Lok Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, as an ex-MLA and a frequent visitor! Babulal Gaur applied for a bungalow as a sitting MLA. Joshi’s son Deepak happens to be a minister in the state and has been allotted another bungalow. Gaur represents a constituency from Bhopal and has several houses in the state capital.

Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj who represents Vidisha in the Lok Sabha has spent little time in Bhopal during the past nine years as MP. But she too has a bungalow allotted to her in Bhopal. Former BJP state president Prabhat Jha too has houses allotted in Bhopal, Gwalior and Delhi.

Two past PCC presidents, Suresh Pachauri and Arun Yadav, also occupy government bungalows. Pachauri had it allotted as a journalist while Yadav is no longer entitled to the house