BJP alleges Kejriwal allotted '7-star' bungalow in Chandigarh; AAP hits back

The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has been allotted a “7-star luxury bungalow” in Chandigarh by the Punjab government, reigniting the ‘sheeshmahal’ controversy surrounding his former official residence in Delhi.

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The AAP has dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and challenged the BJP to produce an allotment letter to substantiate its claim.

BJP revives 'sheeshmahal' attack

The BJP on Friday (31 October) renewed its ‘sheeshmahal’ attack on Kejriwal, claiming that the former Delhi Chief Minister had been allotted a “7-star luxury bungalow” in Chandigarh’s Sector 2 by the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government.

Sharing what it said was an aerial photograph of the property, the BJP alleged that the two-acre residence had been sanctioned, by the Punjab government, which is also run by the AAP, under the Chief Minister’s quota.

“The man who pretended to be a common man has had another grand sheeshmahal built. After vacating the Delhi sheeshmahal, Punjab’s ‘Super Chief Minister’ Arvind Kejriwal ji has had an even more splendid one constructed,” the Delhi BJP posted on X.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also claimed that AAP leaders defeated in the Delhi elections were being “compensated” with posts in Punjab.

He accused Kejriwal of hypocrisy, saying, “They have not given money promised to the women of Punjab but provided a 100-car convoy for Kejriwal’s VVIP security, and now a ‘7-star mansion’ for him.”

Swati Maliwal joins criticism

The property photograph was also posted on X by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, whose relationship with the party leadership has remained strained following her allegations that Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's aide, of physically assaulted her.

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Maliwal accused the Punjab government of “serving one man,” claiming Kejriwal had moved into the house and used it as a base for political travel.

“After vacating Delhi’s sheeshmahal, Arvind Kejriwal ji has got an even more luxurious one ready in Punjab. The two-acre, 7-star government bungalow in Chandigarh’s Sector 2 has been allotted to him. Yesterday, he boarded a government helicopter from outside this house to Ambala, and from there, a Punjab government private jet flew him to Gujarat for party work. The entire Punjab government seems to be serving one man,” she wrote.

In another post on X, Maliwal said that there is an attempt to portray the bungalow in Sector 2, where Kejriwal stays in Chandigarh, as a camp office. "The truth is that Punjab's super CM resides in this house," she noted.

"If this is a camp office, then in the last 4 years, how many people came here to meet the CM? How many times did the CM sit in this office? If this is a camp office, then how does Mr. Kejriwal live in this office?" she asked

AAP hits back

In a sharp rebuttal, the AAP accused the BJP of spreading “bogus claims” and misinformation. “Where is the allotment letter?” the party asked, dismissing the allegations as fabricated.

The AAP maintained that the photograph circulated by the BJP was merely of the Chief Minister’s camp office in Chandigarh.

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The party further accused the BJP of peddling misinformation to divert attention from Delhi’s air pollution crisis.

“Ever since the Prime Minister’s fake Yamuna story was exposed, the BJP has been in panic mode, spreading misinformation from fake Yamuna claims to fake pollution data, fake rainfall, and now a fake 7-star house claim,” the AAP said.

The latest row echoes the earlier ‘sheeshmahal’ controversy over Kejriwal’s official residence at 6, Flag Staff Road, which the BJP claimed was renovated at a cost of Rs 45 crore in public funds.