Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has agreed to vacate his official bungalow at 12 Tughlak Lane, after receiving a notice from the Lok Sabha Housing Committee on Monday.  He was disqualified as a member last week.

In a letter addressed to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, he wrote, "As an elected member of the Lok Sabha for the last 4 terms, it is the mandate of the people to which I owe the happy memories of my time spent here." He added, "Without prejudice to my rights, I will, of course, abide by the details contained in your letter".

Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi was on Monday asked to vacate his official bungalow on Ttughlaq Lane within a maximum period of one month or by April 22, 2023.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul GandhiIANS

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "They will make all attempts to weaken him but, if he vacates the bungalow, he will go live with his mother or he can come to me... I'll vacate one," Kharge said.

"I condemn the attitude of the government to scare, threaten and humiliate him. This isn't the way. Sometimes, we've been without a bungalow for three-four months. I received my bungalow after six months. People do this to humiliate others," Kharge told ANI news agency.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal told reporters, 'Rahul Gandhi is not worried about the house', while party spokesperson Salman Anees Soz said, "Literally millions of Indians" would happily offer Rahul Gandhi a home.

After Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the Trinamool Congress is likely to join the opposition meeting called by the Leader of opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge in his chamber on Monday.
After Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the Trinamool Congress is likely to join the opposition meeting called by the Leader of opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge in his chamber on Monday.IANS

After Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the Trinamool Congress is likely to join the opposition meeting called by the Leader of opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge in his chamber on Monday.IANS

The bungalow privilege was revoked after Rahul Gandhi was convicted of criminal defamation by a court in Gujarat that sentenced Rahul Gandhi to a two-year sentence, which triggered a massive row between the opposition and the government.

Kapil Sibal tweets

Reacting to the development, independent MP Kapil Sibal tweeted, "Rahul asked to vacate bungalow. Their conscience has gone on a vacation. Petty politics of petty men." Sibal quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support.

On Monday 17 opposition parties , including the Trinamool Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi of KCR came together to protest Rahul Gandhi's disqualification.