The designated chief minister's official residence at 1, Anne Marg Patna seems to have gained an entry into the list of jinxed bungalows that are a strict no-no for the top politicians. The speculations about 1, Anne Marg gained ground after former chief minister and Mahadalit leader Jitan Ram Manjhi vacated it recently, urging his mentor-turned bete noire Nitish Kumar, move in there. In the run up to the Assembly polls, Nitish has so far shown no inclination to do so. He continues to operate from his 7 Circular Road residence where he had shifted in August last year.



Incidentally, Manjhi had refused to vacate the chief minister's house since his ouster from chief minister's post in February this year. His argument was that the alternative house at 12-M Strand Road - the one that he occupied as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes welfare minister in the Nitish government before becoming chief minister in May 2014 - was in bad shape. In Bihar, the chief ministers have life long entitlement to government bungalows.

But Manjhi's decision to vacate 1, Anne Marg on June 21 seems to have conveyed an impression that the sprawling bungalow is now being considered inauspicious. A section of politicians concur that the official chief minister's residence now carries a jinxed tag, as they list out examples to show the dark side on Patna's most famous address.

The first chief minister to occupy the address was Bhagwat Jha Azad, who lived here from February 1988 to March 1989-and never returned to any post after his stint. Lalu and Rabri who lived here for 15 years subsequently lost their political clout. As resident of 1 Anne Marg, Lalu Prasad was forced to quit the chief minister's job in July 1997 following a CBI chargesheet against him in a fodder scam case.

Nitish Kumar who succeeded RJD regime had to resign in May 2014 while successor Manjhi, who shifted to 1 Aney Marg on June 27, 2014 after taking over as Bihar chief minister, was ousted in February 2015. In fact, Nitish Kumar, who had handpicked Manjhi for the chief minister's post in May 2014 but removed him on February 20 this year, made no efforts to shift at 1, Anne Marg after taking over as Bihar chief minister on February 22. Nitish had vacated the 1 Aney Marg on June 5, 2014 and had shifted to 2-M Strand Road bungalow. Two months later, he again shifted to 7 Circular Road on August 10. He has continued to stay there since then.

In October 2006, the sprawling and fortified house located at 1, Anne Marg - standing in midst of three green fields and spread over about six acres of land facing Raj Bhavan-was notified as Bihar chief minister's residence.

The 1 Anne Marg Bungalow is even suspected to have cast a dark shadow on the Patna Rajbhawan as well, which is located next to it. A section of politician argues that several occupant of the Raj Bhawan like Buta Singh have had to quit midway.

Incidentally, the chief minister's official residence in neighbouring Jharkhand too is considered inauspicious for its occupants, as none of its VIPs who stayed here could complete their term in office. Since the State's creation in November, 2000, Jharkhand has already seen 10 chief ministers, including incumbent Raghubar Das and many blame the jinxed chief minister's house in Ranchi for the frequent changeovers. In fact, Das predecessor Hemant Soren did not shift to his official residence at 3 Kanke road during his tenure.

Almost all former chief ministers, including Jharkhand's first chief minister Babulal Marandi and Hemant's father Shibu Soren, had attempted Vastu corrections before moving into the sprawling compound in Ranchi. After former chief Arjun minister Munda survived a chopper crash in May 2012, he got a Hanuman temple built in the campus. But, as fate would have it, Munda lost his chair, too. Raghubar Das, who took over as Jharkhand CM in December 2014, has moved in to the residence.

The 1 Anne Marg bungalow in Patna may also get its occupant after Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled later this year.