BJP, AAP spar on ex-CM Kejriwal’s Lodhi Estate bungalow

Kejriwal's new residence faces BJP backlash over alleged luxury. AAP calls claims "fake," asserting the images presented are misleading.

Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s new official residence, at 95, Lodhi Estate, is in the centre of a political row, after members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) labelled the property “Sheesh Mahal 2” over purported high-end amenities and furnishing. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), however, dismissed the allegations as “fake” and misleading.

BJP, AAP spar on ex-CM Kejriwal’s Lodhi Estate bungalow

Delhi minister Parvesh Verma, addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, took a shot at Kejriwal’s “common man image”, questioning the source of “private funds” for furnishing the Type-VII bungalow, which is allotted to leaders of national parties.

Presenting purported photographs of the residence, Verma alleged that the interiors and facilities exceeded standard government norms. “The Central Public Works Department does not spend so much money on bungalows... After he was forced out of Sheesh Mahal by the voters of Delhi, he shifted to Punjab, where he took a bungalow, and now he has prepared Sheesh Mahal 2 at Lodhi Estate,” Verma said.

Delhi’s leader of Opposition Atishi said the images presented by the BJP were not genuine. “All the pictures released by Parvesh Verma are fake. They are not pictures of Kejriwal’s house,” she said in a post on X.

The controversy comes in the wake of Kejriwal shifting to the Lodhi Estate bungalow, following the allotment to him as the leader of a national party last October. The BJP, since its time in the opposition prior to forming the government in 2025, has been targeting Kejriwal over lavish furnishings of his official residence. Previously, the BJP had dubbed Kejriwal’s allotted residence at 6, Flag Staff Road the “Sheesh Mahal”, alleging that over ₹58 crore of public moneywas spent on furnishings, such as spa and sauna room, jacuzzi, centralised music system, smart lighting, dumbwaiter, luxury TV, refrigerator and over 50 ACs.The AAP has consistently denied the allegations.

In the immediate aftermath of quitting the party, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha also took a swipe at the AAP, alleging that “Sheesh Mahal Part 2” reflected poorly on the party’s image. “When the first Sheesh Mahal was built, I believe it severely tarnished the AAP’s image and it was the primary reason for the party’s loss in the Delhi elections Yet, within a year, ‘Sheesh Mahal Part 2’ has surfaced, looking very opulent. The AAP needs to introspect on these matters ahead of Punjab elections,” Chadha said.

Sharpening his criticism, Verma said, “The person who promised to live like a common man without using government facilities today lives in a luxurious manner. His party should actually be called ‘Aalishaan Aadmi Party’. This is a government-allocated house, but the money invested in it is not government funds… every penny spent is private money. We all know what the salary of a CM is and it isn’t much. So, where did the money for this Sheesh Mahal 2 come from?”

The BJP leader also linked the issue to recent political developments, alleging that corruption in AAP was the reason behind seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs quitting the party.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj also accused Kejriwal of “double standards”, alleging that the luxurious interiors of his government bungalow at 95, Lodhi Estate, were not in line with his claims of being a common man.

Meanwhile, Atishi challenged BJP leaders to make public photos of their residences, for comparison. “To determine whose house is more luxurious, Rekha Gupta and the lieutenant governor should open their homes and Kejriwal will open his. The public can then decide,” she said.

In another post on X, Atishi accused the BJP of using misleading visuals. “...those pictures are not from his residence and are downloaded from Pinterest… false claims are made using images picked from the internet,” she said.

Taking a swipe at the BJP, she remarked that they could have used artificial intelligence instead, as the theft would not have been caught so quickly.

While the BJP has renewed its allegations with claims regarding the Lodhi Estate property, AAP has maintained that the accusations are baseless and politically driven.