Actress Rekha lays seige on Congress's 'war room' at 15 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road

NEW DELHI: A day after she attended Rajya Sabha proceedings for the first time in this Budget session, actor Rekha is in the news again, this time for her new official accommodation. The house allotted to her — 15 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, Delhi — is known to be Congress’ war room. A venue of several crucial closed-door meetings of the party in the last many years, the house is presently being used by, among others, Congress’ new adviser Prashant Kishor. It was in the name of Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu, a Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Telangana, till Wednesday.

Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said he was not aware of the allotment and that the party will do whatever necessary in accordance with law.

Another party leader said, "The war room was a name given by others. For us, it was always a place where coordination meetings were planned. This is where five to ten people work every day. We can always shift to another place if needed." Some Congress insiders said that Rekha being an MP nominated by the party, it may not be difficult for the party to continue operating from there. "Nothing has been decided till now," a party insider said.

The address was the party's strategies hub during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Even in 2014 and after that, several party leaders involved in strategy planning have been visiting it for meetings.