RANCHI: The Jharkhand BJP has strongly criticised the construction of a lavish ‘Sheesh Mahal’ for Chief Minister Hemant Soren, alleging that the project, estimated at around Rs 100 crore, is an extravagant misuse of public funds and nearly three times costlier than a similar residence built during the tenure of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Addressing the media at the BJP state headquarters in Ranchi on Sunday, State BJP President Aditya Sahu said that while the Chief Minister projects himself as a leader of the poor and downtrodden, essential welfare schemes in the state, such as ‘Abua Awas’, old-age pensions and payments for paddy procurement, are not reaching beneficiaries.
He further alleged that instead of prioritising public welfare, the government is focused on building a palatial residence.
Sahu asserted that the BJP strongly opposes the project and vowed that the party would not allow what he termed the “hard-earned money” of Jharkhand’s tribal and indigenous communities to be spent on such an initiative.
“The ‘Sheesh Mahal’—currently being constructed at a cost of Rs 100 crore by the Chief Minister, who claims to be the champion of the poor, represents a wasteful expenditure of the hard-earned money of Jharkhand's tribal and indigenous population,” said Sahu.
He added that the Building Department has issued a tender for the project with an estimated cost of Rs 67 crore, which does not include expenses for interiors and furnishings; by the time construction is complete, the actual cost is expected to exceed Rs 100 crore.
Sahu further alleged that Chief Minister Hemant Soren is governing in a manner akin to Mughal-era emperors. “The extravagance associated with the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ is such that a fountain costing Rs 2 crore and a garden costing Rs 2.5 crore are being built,” he said.
“The main reception area will feature a lavish glass-panelled drawing room, for which the glass is being imported from abroad. Additionally, the tiles to be installed in the building will be imported from Italy,” said the BJP chief.
He added that crores of rupees are set to be spent on equipping the building with modern amenities such as a Jacuzzi, a sauna and a massage room.
“According to a CAG report, Delhi’s Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘Sheesh Mahal’ was initially estimated to cost approximately ₹8.30 crore. Subsequently, with the addition of luxury amenities, the cost escalated to ₹33.66 crore, representing an increase of 342%. Hemant Soren Ji’s ‘Sheesh Mahal’, however, is already more than three times as expensive as Kejriwal’s,” said Sahu.
He added that if the Chief Minister does not abandon what he described as his personal indulgence in the project, every BJP worker would take to the streets to protest democratically.
According to Sahu, the tender for the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ is scheduled to be uploaded on the website on April 2. April 29 has been set as the deadline for submitting bids, and the tenders will be opened on April 30. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for April 8, he said.