India's Congress Party Faces Eviction from Historic Headquarters

New Delhi: 24, Akbar Road, the national headquarters of the Congress, which has been a witness to many historic decisions in Indian politics, now seems to be going to be history. The Central Estate Department has issued a final notice to the Congress party to vacate this luxurious bungalow by March 28. The movement to vacate the address which was the identity of the Congress for the last 48 years has created a huge buzz in the political corridors of Delhi. Preparations have been started to vacate not only the head office but also the Youth Congress office on Raisina Road. The association of the Congress with this bungalow is not only administrative, but also emotional. In 1978, when Indira Gandhi was out of power after the Emergency, the party was revived from this place. Although the Congress has shifted to its grand new headquarters Indira Bhavan near ITO last year, some important activities were still going on in the old office. Now the government has taken a tough stance and the party is only days away from vacating the address, which is being discussed by legal experts and other Congress leaders.