Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Union minister Hardeep Puri were involved in a Twitter spat on Tuesday over her government-owned south Delhi bungalow, which she is expected to vacate by month-end, after 23 years.

Vadra, who was served an eviction notice early this month, took to Twitter to dismiss reports that she had sought more time to vacate the government accommodation. “This is FAKE NEWS. I have not made any such request to the government. As per the eviction letter handed to me on the 1st of July, I will be vacating the government accommodation at 35 Lodhi Estate by the 1st of August,” she said in a tweet.

Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri soon responded saying that a “powerful Congress leader” had approached him to extend her stay by allocating the house to another  Congress lawmaker.

“Facts speak for themselves! A powerful Congress leader with much clout in the Party called me on 4 July 2020 at 12:05 pm to request that 35, Lodhi Estate be allotted to another INC MP so that Priyanka Vadra can stay on. Let’s not sensationalise everything please,” Puri tweeted.

Vadra, who was allotted the bungalow in 1997,  quickly retorted with, “If someone called you Mr Puri, I thank them for their concern, and thank you for your consideration as well but it still does not change the facts: I have made no such request, and I am making no such request. As I said, I will be vacating the house by the 1st of August as required in the eviction letter,” she said in a tweet.

Union Women and Child Development minister Smriti Irani also joined the spat and attacked the Gandhi family stating that “facts and Congress never go hand in hand”.

“Facts and CONgress can never go ‘hand’ in ‘hand’… The ‘fact’ that a notice had to be served & dues were not paid speaks for itself…The congress leader called you, Hardeep Singh Puri ji, coz high command ka order hai (it’s an order from high command),” Irani said.

Vadra was asked to vacate the bungalow after the SPG cover for her, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi was withdrawn in November 2019.