After RS oath, Nitish starts shifting belongings from official residence

Patna: A day after taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member in Delhi, CM Nitish Kumar on Saturday began shifting his household belongings from his official residence at 1, Anne Marg to his proposed house at 7, Circular Road in the state capital here.According to officials, Nitish is set to move into the govt bungalow at 7, Circular Road after relinquishing the CM’s post. Visuals that went viral on social media showed household items and furniture, wrapped for transport, being moved from 1, Anne Marg in tractor trolleys and taken to the Circular Road residence.Sources in the NDA said the shifting process has already started, and Nitish is likely to completely vacate 1, Anne Marg after formally submitting his resignation as the CM, likely on April 14.At present, 7, Circular Road is being used by Nitish to run the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Officials said he is expected to shift there fully by next week. Once he moves, he will become a neighbour of former CM Rabri Devi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who live at 10, Circular Road. Only two bungalows, numbered 8 and 9, stand between Nitish’s proposed residence and the Rabri-Lalu house.A senior govt official said Nitish has long been fond of the 7, Circular Road bungalow.

After the JD(U)’s poor performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Nitish stepped down as the CM and Jitan Ram Manjhi took over. Before Manjhi moved into the official CM residence, Nitish shifted to 7, Circular Road. It was from this bungalow that he later reclaimed the CM’s post from Manjhi in early 2015. While staying there, he also led the three-party Mahagathbandhan in the 2015 assembly elections and returned to power as the CM.Senior JD(U) leaders also said Nitish considers the number 7 lucky. They pointed out that when he first became CM, his official vehicle carried the number 777. He entered electoral politics in 1977, became president of Yuva Lok Dal in 1987, and named his flagship governance programme 7-Nishchay. The Bihar govt is currently working on 7 Nishchay Part-3.