Chandigarh: A political spat has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) concerning the alleged allocation of a “luxurious, 7-star” government bungalow in Chandigarh to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP, through a post on X, claimed that Kejriwal was being provided with a sprawling two-acre residence in Sector 2, Chandigarh, reportedly from the Punjab Chief Minister’s quota. This move, the BJP alleged, was akin to preparing an even more opulent “Sheesh Mahal” in Punjab after the one in Delhi, which had previously drawn criticism for its renovation costs.
The AAP has strongly refuted these allegations, labeling them as “fake” and a product of the BJP’s “bafflement.” The party challenged the BJP to present any official allotment letter to substantiate their claims. Adding to the accusation, AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal also alleged that Kejriwal uses Punjab government aircraft for personal and party-related travel.
Responding to the claims, the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, stated that they have “not made any fresh allotments in recent months.” A senior official from the UT Estate Office confirmed that the houses in Sector 2 are indeed allocated to the Punjab government, as per a late 1950s agreement, and serve as official residences for Punjab ministers, including the CM. The official clarified that no new allotments or revisions to building plans have been made recently.
The BJP’s accusations bring to mind previous criticisms leveled against Kejriwal’s Delhi residence, which was also dubbed “Sheesh Mahal” by the opposition due to alleged lavish renovation expenditures.