Patna woke up on Monday to a double blow for one of Bihar’s most talked about political couples. The state government has told former MLA Neelam Devi to vacate her official bungalow at 1 Mall Road in Patna by November 25, and her husband, expelled Janata Dal (United) MLA Anant Kumar Singh, now faces a formal push to end his Assembly membership as well.
The two developments mark the sharpest turn yet in a falling out that began during last week’s Legislative Council elections.
Vacate by November 25, says government letter
The Bihar government’s Building Construction Department issued a formal notice to Neelam Devi on Monday, asking her to vacate Residence No. 1 on Mall Road and complete the required departmental formalities by November 25, 2026.
The notice follows the cancellation of her nomination to the State-level 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee. A notification from the Cabinet Secretariat Department on Monday ended her tenure on the committee with immediate effect, and with it went the deputy minister status that came with the post.
The bungalow had been allotted to her through a departmental order dated May 19, 2026, because of her position on the committee. The government’s letter cites Rule 11(2)(1) of the Patna Central Pool Accommodation Rules, 1986, which allows a person to retain official accommodation for only one month after the position that justified the allotment ends. That one-month window, the letter says, closes on November 25.
JD(U) seeks termination of Singh’s membership
Parallel to the eviction notice, the JD(U) has moved against Anant Singh’s seat itself. State party president Umesh Singh Kushwaha has written to Bihar Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar, recommending the termination of Singh’s membership of the House. Kushwaha said on Monday that the process was under way and that a notice and other formalities were being processed.
The expulsion that started it all
On October 24, the JD(U) expelled both Anant Singh and Neelam Devi from the party’s primary membership for six years over alleged anti-party activities. The trigger was Singh’s open campaigning in the October 23 Legislative Council elections for the Jan Suraaj Party candidate in the Patna Graduates’ constituency, against the JD(U)’s own nominee, sitting MLC Neeraj Kumar.
Singh had publicly declared that he would ensure Neeraj Kumar’s defeat, and polling day saw minor clashes between supporters of the two camps in the Mokama region. The party also cited Singh’s repeated criticism of senior leaders and the leadership.
Singh has shown no inclination to reconcile, saying after his expulsion that he had no regrets and that the JD(U) had no political future. “I will make my own party. I never asked for a ticket,” he said, adding that he had no personal differences with former chief minister Nitish Kumar and would meet him again.
From RJD to JD(U), and now out in the cold
The couple’s political journey makes the break all the more striking. Neelam Devi, herself a former MLA from Mokama, had switched from the Rashtriya Janata Dal to the JD(U) ahead of the February 2024 Assembly trust vote and voted in support of the Nitish Kumar government. She was inducted into the state-level committee in March 2024 and continued to hold the position even after the change of government under Samrat Choudhary.
Anant Singh, the sitting Mokama MLA, has long been one of Bihar’s most recognisable strongman politicians.
What happens next
- November 25 deadline: Neelam Devi must vacate the Mall Road bungalow by this date, one month after her committee membership ended.
- Speaker’s decision: The Assembly Speaker will examine the JD(U)’s recommendation and supporting material before deciding on Singh’s membership.
- MLC counting on October 27: Votes cast on October 23 for eight Legislative Council seats will be counted on Tuesday, and the Patna Graduates’ result will show whether Singh’s rebellion actually dented his old party.
- Singh’s next move: Having spoken of floating his own party, all eyes will be on what platform the Mokama MLA chooses next.
For now, the message from Patna is unambiguous: the party and the government have moved in step.
FAQs
Why has Neelam Devi been asked to vacate her Patna bungalow?
Her nomination to the State-level 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee was cancelled on October 26, ending the deputy minister status on which the Mall Road allotment depended. Under the 1986 accommodation rules, she can retain the house for only one month after the post ends.
What is the last date to vacate the bungalow?
November 25, 2026, as stated in the Building Construction Department’s notice.
Why was Anant Singh expelled from the JD(U)?
The party expelled him for six years on October 24 for alleged anti-party activities, principally campaigning for the Jan Suraaj Party candidate against the JD(U)’s nominee in the Patna Graduates’ Legislative Council seat.
Will Anant Singh lose his Assembly seat?
Not automatically. The JD(U) has recommended termination of his membership to Speaker Prem Kumar, who will examine the recommendation and supporting material before deciding.
Who is Neelam Devi?
A former MLA from Mokama and wife of Anant Singh. She moved from the RJD to the JD(U) before the February 2024 trust vote and served on the state-level 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee.
With the MLC results due on October 27, this is a story still unfolding, and the next few days will decide how much damage the Mokama rebellion has really done.
