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| Politicians have refused on record to move into 10 Janpath, which is seen as inauspicious. |
December 31, 2015, NewsCrunch
Social media is abuzz with the reports that 10 Janpath, where Congress president Sonia Gandhi lives is larger than the PM’s residence at
An RTI query reveals that Sonia’s residence is spread over 15,181 sq m while the Prime Minister's, covers 14,101 sq m.
And the occupants of PM’s residence change periodically, but Sonia stays put.
Not many leaders aspire to move to 10 Janpath, which is seen as jinxed. The house has seen a string of tragedies over the decades.
As PM, Nehru lived in the Teen Murti Bhava. His successor Lal Bahadur Shastri opted for 10 Janpath and died within 18 months of being in office.
And the occupants of PM’s residence change periodically, but Sonia stays put.
Not many leaders aspire to move to 10 Janpath, which is seen as jinxed. The house has seen a string of tragedies over the decades.
As PM, Nehru lived in the Teen Murti Bhava. His successor Lal Bahadur Shastri opted for 10 Janpath and died within 18 months of being in office.
During emergency, 10 Janpath became the office of the Indian Youth Congress. Sanjay Gandhi used it as his office to carry out the party work.
After the Congress defeat in 1977, Indian Youth Congress was practically wound up and a few years later Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane accident.
The next stalwart to move in at 10 Janpath was K K Tewari, one of close confidantes of PM Rajiv Gandhi. The most talked about politician of the time, K K Tewari, quickly slipped into obscurity, never to recover.
As opposition leader during V P Singh government, Rajiv Gandhi moved to 10 Janpath, and was its resident when LTTE assassinated him in 1991.
His widow Sonia has been living there for over two decades now. Many say her battle with cancer is further proof that 10 is jinxed.
Politicians have refused on record to move into 10 Janpath. In 1991, after extending support to Chandrashekar government, Rajiv Gandhi lost his status as opposition leader.
He thought that like PMs, opposition leaders should have a permanent residence and offered to vacate 10 Janpath for Advani, his successor for the position in Parliament. But he continued in the same address after Advani refused to move in.
After the Congress defeat in 1977, Indian Youth Congress was practically wound up and a few years later Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane accident.
The next stalwart to move in at 10 Janpath was K K Tewari, one of close confidantes of PM Rajiv Gandhi. The most talked about politician of the time, K K Tewari, quickly slipped into obscurity, never to recover.
As opposition leader during V P Singh government, Rajiv Gandhi moved to 10 Janpath, and was its resident when LTTE assassinated him in 1991.
His widow Sonia has been living there for over two decades now. Many say her battle with cancer is further proof that 10 is jinxed.
Politicians have refused on record to move into 10 Janpath. In 1991, after extending support to Chandrashekar government, Rajiv Gandhi lost his status as opposition leader.
He thought that like PMs, opposition leaders should have a permanent residence and offered to vacate 10 Janpath for Advani, his successor for the position in Parliament. But he continued in the same address after Advani refused to move in.