Chandigarh – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a fresh attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of misusing Punjab government resources to create a lavish residence for himself. The BJP alleges that Kejriwal has been allotted a "luxurious 7-star, two-acre government bungalow" in Sector 2 of Chandigarh, reportedly from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's quota.
The BJP's Delhi unit and AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal shared an aerial image of the property on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that Punjab government funds were being misused. The BJP has dubbed the alleged mansion "Sheesh Mahal 2.0", referencing past accusations against Kejriwal regarding extravagant spending on his official residence in Delhi. They accuse Kejriwal of hypocrisy, stating that he "who pretends to be an 'aam aadmi' (common man)," has built another opulent residence.
Swati Maliwal, whose relationship with Kejriwal and the AAP has become strained, echoed the BJP's claims. She further alleged that Kejriwal uses Punjab government aircraft for personal and AAP-related travel. "Yesterday, he boarded a government helicopter right from in front of his house for Ambala, and then from Ambala, the Punjab government's private jet took him to Gujarat for party work," she claimed. Maliwal accused the Mann government of misusing Punjab's resources for Kejriwal's personal convenience, stating, "The entire Punjab government is engaged in serving one man".
BJP leaders have reacted strongly to the allegations. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of concealing the "seven-star resort-like residence" while portraying himself as a common man. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla commented that the "sheeshmahal mindset" is still prevalent, alleging that "Sheesh Mahal 2 is being built in Punjab with the state's taxpayers' money and Punjab CM quota as Kejriwal is the super CM of Punjab".
The Aam Aadmi Party has refuted the allegations, dismissing them as "false and politically motivated". AAP sources in Chandigarh stated that a detailed response would be issued by the party in Delhi. Some reports suggest that AAP is claiming the image shared by the BJP is actually the Punjab CM's camp office.
The controversy surrounding Kejriwal's residences is not new. In 2024, he faced accusations of illegal construction and misuse of public funds for renovations to his official residence in Delhi, which the BJP also labeled "Sheesh Mahal". Allegations included violating building norms, demolishing government properties to expand the residence, and lacking proper layout plan approvals.
The BJP had used the "Sheesh Mahal" narrative effectively in the Delhi elections, accusing Kejriwal of misusing taxpayer money. The BJP won a historic victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly Election, returning to power after 27 years with 48 seats against AAP's 22 seats. This new controversy is likely to further fuel the political rivalry between the BJP and AAP.
