Congress keeps Paswan in good humour.

New Delhi: It is politics with a difference. The Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's selective approach in getting illegal occupants of government bungalows has caused many raised eyebrows.

While even some of the former federal ministers belonging to the Congress are facing the threat of forceful eviction or the prospect of hefty rents, there is no move afoot to get the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Sadhu Yadav, both belonging to Bihar, to vacate their bungalows.

Paswan's 12, Janpath bungalow is the most sought after as its occupant becomes the next door neighbour of the most powerful Indian - Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. However, it has not been allocated to any one even as at least 11 ministers continue to be homeless.

Political grapevine is agog with suggestions that it is the Congress' way to woo Paswan since his home state Bihar is due to elect its new legislative assembly in October next year.

Paswan had joined hands with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav ahead of April-May Lok Sabha elections. While Lalu and Mulayam won elections, Paswan tasted a rare defeat from his traditional Hajipur constituency of Bihar.

According to rules, the defeated ministers and lawmakers get one month to vacate their bungalows, after which they are served notices. If they still refuse to budge, either they are evicted forcefully or a hefty monetary penalty is imposed, which ranges between Rs50,000 and Rs100,000 per month depending upon the size of the bungalow.

The Congress is currently working on plans to revive itself in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, considered politically the most crucial states, with encouraging results. Even without the support of Lalu and Paswan, the party managed to win two Lok Sabha seats from Bihar and followed it up by winning another two seats out of 18 in last month's assembly by-elections.

However, it is not considered enough. The Congress is now eyeing Paswan's LJP for a possible tie-up in Bihar to get a better foothold and at the same time distance him from Lalu. The Congress at present is not interested in doing business with Lalu's RJD.

Paswan has occupied 12, Janpath for decades and is very fond of the bungalow, which has sprawling lawns and also works as national headquarters of his party.

Sadhu Yadav, another beneficiary of the selective eviction policy of the UPA government, is brother-in-law of Lalu. He deserted Lalu to join the Congress. Although he failed to retain his Lok Sabha seats, he caused enough damage to the RJD and is seen as crucial in the scheme of things for Bihar. Congress does not want to give him any reason to go back to the RJD.

Incidentally, those facing eviction as illegal occupants of the government bungalows include Mani Shankar Aiyar, Jagdish Tytler, Shankersinh Vaghela, Hansraj Bhardwaj and Renuka Chowdhury, all ministers in the previous UPA government.

The urban development ministry says that nearly 50 members of the previous Lok Sabha are yet to vacate their bungalows, causing immense problems for those who have been allotted these accommodations but are forced to stay in hotels or guest houses, putting extra pressure on the exchequer.

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