Delhi CM Won’t Stay in ‘Sheesh Mahal’: BJP

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

The next Delhi Chief Minister will not reside in the ‘Sheesh Mahal’, according to BJP. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva has requested the Lt Governor to cancel the merger of four properties with bungalow 6, Flagstaff Road. The BJP accuses Kejriwal of irregularities and corruption in the bungalow’s renovation. Vijender Gupta has also urged the Lt Governor to restore the CM’s residence to its original state. BJP alleges Kejriwal indulged in luxury at public expense, contrary to his “common man” image. BJP will form the government in Delhi after 27 years.

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Aakhir Tak – In Depth

The next Chief Minister of Delhi will not stay at the ‘sheesh mahal’ in which Arvind Kejriwal resided as Delhi Chief Minister from 2015 till October 2024, according to the BJP. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva on Monday requested Lt Governor VK Saxena to cancel the merger of four properties with bungalow 6, Flagstaff Road. “The next Chief Minister of Delhi will not stay in it (the bungalow),” Sachdeva said, adding that the BJP-led government will decide what to do with the property. Newly elected BJP MLA from Rohini and former Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta has also written to the Lieutenant Governor, urging the immediate restoration of the chief minister’s official residence to its original state and the removal of alleged encroachments on adjacent government properties.

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The ‘Sheesh Mahal’ became a focal point in BJP’s campaign for the Delhi elections, with the party alleging irregularities and corruption in the reconstruction of the bungalow and its lavish interior. Kejriwal vacated the bungalow in October 2024 after resigning from the post of Chief Minister following his bail in the liquor policy case. 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 to the Lt Governor, Vijender Gupta accused Kejriwal of transforming his official residence into a “sheesh mahal,” funded by public money. He alleged that Kejriwal expanded the property from 10,000 square meters to over 50,000 square meters by illegally annexing surrounding government properties.

Gupta called this expansion both illegal and unethical, claiming it was done without proper permission or adherence to legal procedures. “The scope of these unauthorised alterations is particularly concerning. What was meant to be a standard official residence has been transformed into a lavish complex,” Gupta wrote in his letter. He demanded that the merged properties be de-linked from the Chief Minister’s residence and restored to their original status, while 6, Flagstaff Road should be returned to its original size. This whole issue shows how BJP wants to be different from AAP. BJP won the elections, and now, Delhi waits to see what action BJP takes on this.

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Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember