BJP Targets AAP For Splurging Public Money on Renovations at Delhi CM's Residence
On Monday, BJP attacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal over allegations of financial irregularities linked to the renovation or rebuilding of his former official residence on Flagstaff Road, when he was Chief Minister of Delhi.
Referring to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, the BJP alleged that 139 questions asked by the CAG "exposed his black deeds."
Dubbed "Sheesh Mahal" or the Glass Palace by the BJP, Kejriwal's residence was estimated to have cost ₹33.86 crore according to a 2022 CAG report. However, BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva claimed the actual cost was closer to ₹75-80 crore, as the renovation costs of 2023 and 2024 were not included in the report.
BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan accused the AAP government of spending a huge amount of public money on personal whims and fancies while underscoring the fact that all this expenditure was done during the COVID-19 pandemic ignoring public health priorities.
According to the CAG report, the renovation, which started in 2020, also involved the purchase of ultra-expensive household gadgets like an 88-inch OLED TV that cost ₹28.9 lakh, 10 additional OLED TVs that cost ₹43.9 lakh, a high-end refrigerator that cost ₹3.2 lakh, a jacuzzi, sauna, and spa facilities that cost ₹19.5 lakh. About seven servant quarters were built at an additional cost of ₹19.8 crore.
BJP MP Sambit Patra, at a press conference, said that the CAG has reported that while the Delhi Public Works Department gave a proposal of ₹7.61 crore for the rebuilding of the CM's residence, the tender released by the Delhi government mentioned ₹8.62 crore. "This was a scam at the first step itself", he said.
BJP and AAP have been trading allegations over the past few weeks on the controversial rebuilding of the CM's residence.
On Monday, Delhi CM Atishi broke down while replying to Ramesh Bidhuri's comments on her father. Bidhuri's remarks over Atishi and Priyanka Gandhi have triggered an outburst on social media among X users.
Read the full story:
BJP Candidate Sparks Controversy with Comments on Priyanka Gandhi
BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri, fielded against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Minister Atishi, drew heavy flak for his misogynistic comments against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. He said he would build roads in the Kalkaji constituency that would look like Priyanka’s “cheeks.” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate labelled Bidhuri’s comments
Publisher
The AAP has also been accusing the BJP of voter list additions and deletions in the New Delhi constituency that it claims would help the BJP candidate.