M A I N   N E W S

Ministers play musical chairs with bungalows
Jangveer Singh/TNS

Chandigarh, August 25
Assembly elections are just five months away, but Punjab ministers are still vying for ministerial bungalows. One minister has finally fallen for the lure of a ‘sarkari kothi’ after living for four years in a two-room set. Another who has been ousted from the ministry refuses to leave his bungalow to make way for the present BJP legislature party leader who in turn was supposed to hand over his bungalow to a new Akali minister.

The bungalow musical chairs began after the ouster of then Local Bodies and Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia from the state Cabinet in May. Kalia’s bungalow, which is situated next to the Chief Minister’s residence, was suddenly up for grabs. Surprisingly, Social Security Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who has stayed put in a two-room lodging at the MLA hostel for more than four years, applied for a ministerial bungalow after Kalia’s ouster. Chawla had earlier been allotted a house in Sector 39, but she had refused to take it. The minister was allotted house number 50, but has been unable to take possession as the Chief Minister’s security guards occupy it.

Chawla said she had applied for a bungalow, but when she came to know that 30 to 32 gunmen were living in it, she decided not to pursue the matter. She said she never wanted Kalia’s bungalow.

Meanwhile, with Kalia staying put at his bungalow (house number 44), the new BJP legislature party leader and Local Bodies Minister Tikshan Sud cannot shift into it. This, in turn, is forcing new NRI Affairs Minister Balbir Singh Bath, who lives in an MLA flat, from shifting to Sud’s bungalow.

Kalia, who continues to retain his ministerial nameplate at his bungalow, when questioned on the issue, admitted that he had not vacated the house. He said it was up to the Chief Minister to take a decision on the matter.

Meanwhile, Balbir Singh Bath, who was to have gained elevation to a bungalow, told The Tribune that he had been allotted Tikshan Sud’s house, but with Kalia not vacating his bungalow, he may have to stay in his MLA flat as elections are only a few months away.

Elected representatives who have vacated their official accommodation immediately after demitting office include Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagdish Sahni and then Technical Education Minister Swarna Ram.