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BJP readies corruption salvo as new House sits
BJP to release 14 pending audit reports in Delhi assembly, alleging AAP financial irregularities, setting stage for a turbulent political session.
The BJP government plans to release 14 pending audit reports in the Delhi assembly starting Monday, setting the stage for what promises to be a turbulent first session with allegations of financial irregularities during the AAP’s tenure at the centre of proceedings, which in turn could frame the Capital’s political context for months to come.
Chief minister Rekha Gupta, who met Union home minister Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, said her government would demand accountability for “every single rupee” of public money.
“The previous governments must now answer the people of Delhi for the misuse of their hard-earned money,” Gupta said after her party’s legislature group meeting.
The three-day session will begin with newly elected MLAs taking oath and BJP’s Vijender Gupta, the former Leader of Opposition from Rohini constituency, likely to be elected as Speaker. Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has appointed BJP legislator Arvinder Singh Lovely as pro-tem Speaker.
The CAG reports, dating back to 2017, cover critical areas including vehicular pollution prevention, child welfare, liquor regulation, health infrastructure and DTC operations.
One of these reports allegedly has found revenue loss of ₹2,026 crore due to irregularities in the Delhi government’s excise policy in 2021-22, and a host of other alleged impropriety, including deviations from policy objectives, lack of transparency in pricing, and violations in issuing licenses that weren’t penalised.
Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused the AAP of withholding these reports for three years. “The government which claims to be an honest party is the most corrupt. They did not want to bring the CAG report before the public. In the performance-based report, it says that there are irregularities in the supply of liquor,” he said.
BJP MLA Harish Khurana promised revelations across multiple domains. “The report will be tabled in the House and many things will come to light. Whether it is education, liquor, or Sheesh Mahal, many such issues will be raised in the House,” he said.
Former CM Atishi, who was unanimously elected as Leader of Opposition on Sunday, dismissed the BJP’s claims about the reports. “CAG reports were anyway going to be tabled in the first house. BJP is trying to spread misinformation,” she said, terming the delay in tabling these reports a “routine procedure”.
AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha went further, alleging on social media that “CAG is working as a unit of BJP and instead of conducting a natural audit, it is a conspiracy to defame AAP. BJP should first fulfil its promises while doing politics of work.”
The Opposition has already begun targeting the BJP over unfulfilled campaign promises. “One of the most significant promises was made by PM Narendra Modi himself—he guaranteed that in the very first cabinet meeting, a scheme would be approved to provide ₹2,500 per month to every woman in Delhi, with the first instalment to be credited by March 8,” Atishi said. “However, the first cabinet meeting has already taken place, and this scheme was not approved.”
The assembly session, marking the first sitting since the BJP ended AAP’s two-term rule in the capital, will unfold over three days. After Monday’s oath-taking ceremony and Speaker election, the House will convene on Tuesday for the Lieutenant Governor’s address followed by the tabling of pending CAG reports and motion of thanks. The final sitting on Thursday will see discussions on the motion of thanks and election of deputy speaker.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva defended his party’s approach: “Our government has only one agenda — to make Delhi a developed capital. The Aam Aadmi Party, which has been looting and deceiving Delhi, has been spreading lies from day one in an attempt to defame the BJP. Our legislators will respond to them through their work.”
Atishi outlined her priorities as Leader of Opposition: ensuring BJP delivers on its promises and preventing the closure of AAP welfare schemes like Mohalla clinics “to protect public interest”.
The tabling of these CAG reports was a major campaign issue during the recent assembly elections, with portions of some reports being leaked during the campaign. Once tabled in the assembly, these documents will become public, potentially providing ammunition for both sides in what promises to be a heated political battle ahead.
Both BJP and AAP held their legislature party meetings on Sunday to finalise their strategies for the session. While the ruling party appears focused on using the audit reports to corner the opposition, AAP seems prepared to counter-attack by highlighting unfulfilled electoral promises and defending its governance record.
The session will mark a significant power shift in Delhi’s politics, with the BJP returning to power after 27 years, with the last 13 of them spent in a bitter political feud with the AAP and its chief Arvind Kejriwal. How this political drama unfolds in the coming days could set the tone for the capital’s governance in the months ahead.
