The controversy surrounding former Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal's alleged "sheesh mahal" is back in headline as the BJP on Friday accused AAP national convenor has been provided another one with "7-star facility" in Punjab.
The BJP posted a satellite image on X and accused Kejriwal of being provided a “sheesh mahal with a 7-star facility” in Punjab under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s quota even though he is neither an elected MLA nor part of the state government.
It said, "The man who pretended to be the common man, Kejriwal, has had another grand Sheesh Mahal built".
Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Friday also alleged that Kejriwal has built “Sheeshmahal” in Punjab.
“After the Sheesh Mahal in Delhi became vacant, Arvind Kejriwal ji has had an even more splendid Sheesh Mahal built in Punjab than the one in Delhi. In Chandigarh's Sector 2, a luxurious 7-star government mansion of 2 acres under the CM quota has been allotted to Arvind Kejriwal ji,” she posted on X.
Maliwal, who has been at loggerheads with the party leadership ever since she filed an assault case against an aide of Kejriwal last year, claimed that the "entire Punjab government is serving one man".
“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. The entire Punjab government is engaged in serving one man,” she said.
Sharing her post, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the “sheeshmahal mindset” is not gone yet. Poonawalla also alleged that even the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, who had lost elections in Delhi, have been “placed” in various boards and commissions in Punjab, and demanded an explanation from Kejriwal and his party.
“Sheeshmahal 2 is being built in Punja with the state’s taxpayers’ money and Punjab CM quota as Kejriwal is the super CM of Punjab,” he told Moneycontrol.
“He may not be an elected MLA, he may not be in the government, but a 7-star facility is being done only for him at the cost of the Punjabi tax payers,” he added.
The BJP spokesperson alleged that the AAP, ruling Punjab, has not fulfilled the promises it made to the people of the state.
“They have not given the money they promised to women of Punjab but provided a 100-car convoy for Arvind Kejriwal’s VVIP security, then a 7 star ‘alishaan’ (luxurious) mansion for him,” he charged.
“And this isn’t the only thing. Even AAP leaders, who had lost elections in Delhi, have been placed in the boards and commissions in Punjab. So, the Punjabi tax payers are being used and utilised to pay for the Aam Aadmi Party leaders of Delhi. This is their mindset,” the BJP spokesperson added.
There was no immediate response from the AAP or the Punjab government to the BJP’s charge.
Earlier this month, the Delhi government confirmed plans to convert the 'sheeshmahal' in the national capital - at 6, Flag Staff Road, into a guest house, complete with an in-house cafeteria.
Kejriwal's "sheeshmahal" or luxurious chief minister residence had been a key factor in the BJP's poll campaign against the Aam Aadmi Party in the run-up to the Delhi election this year.
The former CM lost his re-election bid from the New Delhi seat to former two-time BJP MP Parvesh Verma. On the other hand, the BJP clinched a historic victory in the Delhi Assembly Election 2025. It made its comeback to power in the capital after 27 years. The AAP secured 22 seats while the BJP clinched 48.
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