Congress leader sought allotment of Priyanka's bungalow to party MP: Hardeep Puri

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that a "powerful" Congress leader had recently "requested" him to allot the Lodhi Estate government accommodation to another Congress MP so that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has been asked to evict the residence by August 1, can stay on. Puri's remarks came as Priyanka took to micro-blogging site Twitter to deny certain media reports suggesting she had sought an extension of stay at her 35, Lodhi Estate bungalow despite an eviction notice.

New Delhi:Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday claimed that a "powerful" Congress leader contacted him to request allotment of the government bungalow that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has to vacate to a parliamentarian from the party so that she could stay on.

"Facts speak for themselves! A powerful Congress leader with much clout in the Party called me on 4 July 2020 at 12:05 pm to request that 35, Lodhi Estate be allotted to another INC MP so that Priyanka Vadra can stay on. Let's not sensationalise everything please," Puri said on Twitter.

Following the union urban development minister's comments, Priyanka Gandhi reiterated that she will be vacating the bungalow by August 1 and that she has not made any request for extension of her stay in it.

"If someone called you Mr. Puri, I thank them for their concern, and thank you for your consideration as well but it still does not change the facts: I have made no such request, and I am making no such request," she tweeted.

"As I said, I will be vacating the house by the 1st of August as required in the eviction letter," she said.

Hardeep Puri's remarks came as the Congress leader took to micro-blogging site Twitter to deny certain media reports suggesting she had sought an extension of stay at her 35, Lodhi Estate bungalow despite an eviction notice.

"This is FAKE NEWS. I have not made any such request to the government. As per the eviction letter handed to me on the 1st of July, I will be vacating the government accommodation at 35 Lodhi Estate by the 1st of August," she tweeted.

On July 1, the government issued an eviction notice to Priyanka Gandhi asking her to vacate the 35, Lodhi Estate bungalow before August 1, as she was no longer eligible for it after her security cover was downgraded last year.

Priyanka Gandhi's security cover was downgraded from elite SPG (Special Protection Group) cover to Z plus security by the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).

Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala too commented on the issue following Puri's tweet, saying Priyanka Gandhi "fights for the cause of people and needs no favours from your ilk. So stop bragging unwarrantedly. The issue is closed."

With inputs from PTI