CHANDIGARH: The Haryana cabinet has deferred the decision to waive Rs 16.49 lakh penal rent of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Hooda has been residing in house number 70, Sector 7 of Chandigarh, since 2019 when he was elected as the Leader of Opposition. He continued to live there for about a year--from October 2024 to September 2025--unofficially, until he was appointed to the post of Congress Legislative Party (CLP) Leader.
The Congress High Command had taken time to appoint Hooda as the CLP Leader after the Haryana assembly elections despite being a strong contender for the post.
The penal rent accumulated during the period when Hooda continued to stay in house number 70 in Sector 7. During this intervening period, he was technically entitled to a different category of accommodation that was MLA flat.
House number 70 has become more than just an official residence for Hooda, as it also served as his political base in Chandigarh and a symbol of his continuing influence within both the Congress and opposition.
Though the state BJP industries minister Vipul Goel wanted this residence, he had to make do with Bungalow 71 since Hooda did not vacate it.
Earlier, the same house was allotted to Hooda in Feburary 2015 in the capacity of former Haryana CM. At the time, he had organised a massive gathering at the housewarming to showcase his stature in the state politics.
Later, his status of cabinet minister given to former Chief Minister was then withdrawn by the then CM Mamohar Lal Khattar so then he had to vacate this house.
After the cabinet meeting, when asked on this issue, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the matter was raised after Hooda requested a waiver but he (Saini) did not give a specific reason for deferring the agenda but added that the cabinet has the authority to delay items.
Terming it a 'small issue', Hooda downplayed the matter, saying that he had sought an extension to stay in the house when the post of leader of opposition was vacant.
"At that time, I had requested the extension of stay in the house. It is a small matter," he said.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda yesterday alleged that the BJP government had been trying to waive off the penal rent of Hooda’s house was a political favour.
Congress candidate Karamvir Singh Boudh won despite the fact five Congress MLAs cross-voted for the Independent candidate Satish Nandal who was backed by the ruling BJP. The Congress had accused the saffron party of horse-trading terming it 'vote-chori.'