New Delhi: In a move that could spark a major political confrontation, the Centre reportedly directed the Indian National Congress to vacate its historic headquarters at 24 Akbar Road by Saturday, bringing an end to its nearly five-decade presence at the landmark address.
The Estate Department has issued a notice to the Congress party, directing it to vacate its allotted office at 24 Akbar Road by March 28, ANI reported quoting party sources.
The bungalow has served as the party’s nerve centre for 48 years. Although the Congress shifted to its new headquarters, Indira Bhavan, at Kotla Marg last year, operations have continued from Akbar Road, reflecting the party’s deep-rooted association with the premises.
Congress Exploring Legal Angles To Challenge Eviction
The directive also extends to the Indian Youth Congress office at 5 Raisina Road, which the party has been asked to vacate. According to an NDTV report quoting sources, Congress is exploring legal options to challenge or delay the move.
The Akbar Road bungalow is steeped in both political and historical significance. When Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the new headquarters, party veterans had acknowledged their enduring emotional bond with the old office.
Before Independence, the property housed Sir Reginald Maxwell of the Viceroy’s Executive Council. In the 1960s, it was home to Myanmar’s ambassador Daw Khin Kyi, where her daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, spent part of her early years.
Its most defining political chapter began after the 1977 electoral defeat, when Indira Gandhi used the bungalow as the base for her faction following a party split. From there, the Congress staged a revival, with the premises continuing as headquarters through the tenures of Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.
With the deadline looming, the issue is expected to escalate politically, given the legacy attached to the address and the party’s continued use of the premises.
