The ‘Sheeshmahal’ controversy surrounding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has resurfaced, this time extending beyond Delhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Kejriwal of being allotted a lavish new bungalow in Chandigarh by the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government.
Dismissing the allegations as “baseless,” the AAP challenged the BJP to produce an allotment letter proving its claim.
Reviving its “Sheeshmahal” jibe, the BJP on Friday alleged that the former Delhi Chief Minister has been given a “7-star luxury bungalow” in Chandigarh’s Sector 2 under the Chief Minister’s quota. The party even shared what it described as an aerial image of the property, claiming the two-acre residence was another example of Kejriwal’s hypocrisy.
“The man who projected himself as a common man now enjoys another grand Sheeshmahal,” the Delhi BJP said in a post on X, accusing Kejriwal of hypocrisy after vacating his Delhi residence.
Adding fuel to the row, suspended AAP MP Swati Maliwal backed the BJP’s claims, alleging Kejriwal was using the house as his base in Punjab and was even flown to Gujarat for party work using Punjab government aircraft.
In a sharp rebuttal, the AAP said the BJP was circulating “fake photos” and false information. The party clarified that the building in question was merely the Chief Minister’s camp office, not a private bungalow allotted to Kejriwal.
“Where is the allotment letter?” AAP asked, claiming the BJP had resorted to spreading misinformation after being exposed over the “fake Yamuna story.”
The renewed clash comes amid escalating political tensions between the two parties over issues like Delhi’s air pollution, Yamuna cleanliness, and the Chhath Puja arrangements.
The controversy also mirrors an earlier row over Kejriwal’s official residence at 6, Flagstaff Road in Delhi, dubbed the “Sheeshmahal” by the BJP, which claimed Rs 45 crore of public funds were spent on its renovation. AAP had defended the expenditure then, calling it a routine PWD renovation and accusing the BJP of distorting facts for political mileage.
The BJP has said it will seek an inquiry to determine whether government funds were used for any new residence linked to Kejriwal.
