Sheesh Mahal row: BJP accuses Kejriwal of ₹31 lakh monthly maintenance
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Former Delhi CM Kejriwal and Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva | via Times of India.
New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday launched a fresh attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, citing an RTI reply that allegedly reveals he spent Rs 31 lakh per month on maintaining his official residence, “Sheesh Mahal” during his tenure as Delhi chief minister.
According to Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, the RTI response shows that Rs 3,69,54,384 was spent annually on the regular maintenance of Kejriwal’s government bungalow between March 31, 2015, and December 27, 2022. The bungalow, located on Flag Staff Road in the Civil Lines area, was Kejriwal’s official residence during that period.
Sachdeva, addressing a press conference, said that the amount, nearly Rs 3.69 crore annually was used for general repairs, sewage, electricity, and structural work on the bungalow. The RTI query, he said, was filed by a citizen from Maharashtra.
He questioned the justification for such a high expenditure, asking, “What exactly was lacking in Kejriwal’s bungalow that required Rs 31 lakh to be spent every month on its maintenance?”
Calling Kejriwal’s lifestyle “extravagant” and contradictory to his promises of simplicity and governance for the common man, Sachdeva claimed the former chief minister has already been exposed through the construction of the so-called “Sheesh Mahal” at an alleged cost of Rs 52 crore. He said the structure was built "secretively" and accused Kejriwal of indulging in a five-star lifestyle at the taxpayer’s expense.
“We are presenting more evidence of Kejriwal’s five-star lifestyle and corruption,” Sachdeva said, adding that the Delhi CM has consistently avoided answering questions about his official expenditures.
He also drew a comparison with regular housing in Delhi, saying that while one can construct a decent 250–300 square yard house for Rs 3 to 4 crore, the annual maintenance cost alone for Kejriwal’s bungalow was over Rs 3.69 crore.
As of now, neither Arvind Kejriwal nor the Aam Aadmi Party has issued any response to the allegations levelled by the BJP.
With PTI inputs