NEW DELHI: Days after securing a victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP on Monday urged Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena to annul the merger of four properties with the “Sheesh Mahal” (6, Flagstaff Road), a controversial issue that was leveraged by the BJP to target Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal during the election campaign.
Sources within the BJP revealed that the new Chief Minister will not reside at the ‘sheesh mahal’. “The new CM will not occupy the Sheesh Mahal, where AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal once lived as Chief Minister,” they said.
Vijender Gupta, BJP MLA from Rohini and former Leader of Opposition, wrote to L-G VK Saxena on Monday, demanding immediate action against alleged illegal construction and violations of regulations at Kejriwal’s former official residence. Gupta called for the restoration of the property to its original condition and the removal of encroachments on adjacent government properties.
In his letter, Gupta accused Kejriwal of transforming his official residence into a “sheesh mahal” using public funds, calling it both illegal and unethical. He claimed the modifications were carried out without official approval, with the residence expanding from 10,000 square metres to 50,000 square metres, encroaching on nearby government properties.
Gupta outlined how the Kejriwal administration allegedly incorporated eight Type-V flats at 45 and 47 Rajpur Road, along with government bungalows at 8A and 8B Flag Staff Road, into the Chief Minister’s residential complex. He demanded the immediate removal of these encroachments and the separation of 8A and 8B from the CM residence complex. “I urgently request your intervention to restore these properties to their original independent status and return 6-lag Staff Road to its previous area of less than 10,000 square metres,” he said.
Labelling the incident as a serious case of corruption, Gupta pointed out that crores of rupees from Delhi’s treasury were allegedly used to build a luxurious mansion while residents struggled with basic necessities. He criticised Kejriwal for the stark contrast between his claims of simplicity and honesty and his apparent indulgence in opulence. Kejriwal transformed the bungalow into “an ultra-luxurious ‘sheesh mahal’ by “illegally annexing” neighbouring government properties, Gupta wrote.
The party also accused Kejriwal of hypocrisy
The party also accused Kejriwal of hypocrisy, contrasting his public image as a “common man” with his alleged private indulgence in luxury at the public’s expense. In his letter, Gupta accused Kejriwal of transforming his official residence into a “sheesh mahal” using public funds, calling it both illegal and unethical.