Kalyan begins shifting, Akhilesh to seek more time from apex court

LUCKNOW: Rajasthan governor and former chief minister Kalyan Singh has taken the lead among former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers in starting to shift out of a government bungalow in compliance with a Supreme Court order.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said: “I will request the Supreme Court to give extra time to vacate the bungalow.” He has already sought permission from the state government to stay in bungalow number 4 on Vikramaditya Marg for two years. His father Mulayam lives next door.

“My father Mulayam Singh Yadav and I do not own private house in the city. I will also request the Supreme Court to give extra time to vacate the bungalow,” Akhilesh said.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who has held the UP CM post before, had last week informed the estate department that he will vacate his official residence at 4 Kalidas Marg soon. His private residence at Vipul Khand, Gomti Nagar, is being spruced up.

A staffer at the residence of Kalyan Singh said items were being shifted to the residence of minister of state of basic and secondary education, Sandeep Singh, his grandson, who has been allotted a bungalow on 2, Tilak Marg in Dalibagh locality.

BSP chief Mayawati, living in 13-A in Mall Avenue, will shift to the adjacent bungalow, number 9, which she had purchased in 2010, a party leader said. Claiming that the 13-A bungalow was in fact a memorial to founder Kanshi Ram, the BSP has put a board terming the premises as Sri Kanshiram Ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal.

Estate officer Yogesh Shukla said, “The letter of Akhilesh Yadav has been sent to the law department for its opinion.”