The Hindu : National : Mulayam surrenders house

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 19, 2006

National

National

Mulayam surrenders house

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday surrendered his heavily guarded government bungalow at 2, Krishna Menon Marg here.

The bungalow, allotted to him when he became Defence Minister in 1996, was retained by him as member of the 12th, 13th and 14th Lok Sabhas.

Mr. Yadav told mediapersons that notices for vacating the government houses were issued to several politicians, political parties and individuals, but he alone was singled out.

"Congress is doing this because it has lost its base in Uttar Pradesh," he said adding that the month-end national executive meeting of the Samajwadi Party would decide on the future strategy.

Surrounded by his party MPs, Mr. Yadav said he was not for a "confrontation" with anybody on the issue. "We are common people from the streets and won't have any problem going to the people and explaining to them what is happening. It is those who live in palaces for generations who have a problem."

Assurances

The Samajwadi Party had requested the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the former Urban Development Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, to allot the house to five-time MP and party general secretary Ramgopal Yadav. But that did not happen despite "assurances."

Waving a receipt from the Directorate of Estates, said he had been paying a market rent and penalty of Rs. 1.58 lakh for the house "ever since the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance" came to power.

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