On Thursday, marking Rahul Gandhi’s 55th birthday, a Griha Pravesh Puja was performed at his newly allotted official residence—bungalow number 5 on Sunehri Bagh Road.
This spacious Type VIII bungalow was officially assigned to the Congress leader in August last year. With the completion of the housewarming ritual, Rahul has initiated the process of relocating to his new government accommodation.
Party sources confirmed that the entire shift to the new home was likely to be completed before the Monsoon session of Parliament starts on July 21.
Griha Pravesh Puja was a personal matter… According to tradition, the family has to spend the night inside the house on the day of the Puja. It implies that the occupant has shifted residence to the new house. Shifting of his belongings could take time," said a party functionary.
Sources pointed out that his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra—also the Member of Parliament from Wayanad—is traveling abroad at present.
Rahul had been staying in 10, Janpath, which is the long-term home of his mother Sonia Gandhi. At first, he was supposed to occupy his new bungalow in three to four months. But interior renovations and installing specialized work areas took time. When Rahul gave the go-ahead for the Sunehri Bagh residence, Priyanka herself inspected the property.
As the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul is eligible for a Type VIII accommodation, normally allotted to Cabinet-rank ministers and having five bedrooms.
Prior to his disqualification in 2023, Rahul resided at 12, Tughlaq Lane after becoming an MP. He vacated the same house upon his conviction in a defamation case. He came back to 10, Janpath afterwards and remained there even after the suspension of his disqualification by the Supreme Court.
Sunehri Bagh bungalow was earlier housed by BJP's Karnataka chief A. Narayanaswamy, who worked as Minister of State for Social Justice in the Modi government between 2021 and 2024.
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