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BJP writes to Delhi L-G seeking demerger of 'Sheesh Mahal' properties: 'CM won't reside'
The 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow served as Arvind Kejriwal's official residence as Delhi chief minister from 2015 until October 2024.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday urged lieutenant governor VK Saxena to revoke the merger of four properties with the “Sheesh Mahal” (6, Flagstaff Road), which was central to the party's campaign against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal over alleged corruption.
Virendra Sachdeva, president of Delhi BJP, claimed the bungalow was expanded by merging four government properties and has appealed to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to reverse the merger.
He said that the newly formed government would decide the future use of the bungalow, adding, “The next chief minister of Delhi will not reside in it.”
The renovated bungalow served as Arvind Kejriwal's official residence as Delhi chief minister from 2015 until October 2024, when he vacated it following his resignation amid corruption allegations from the BJP.
The newly elected BJP MLA from Rohini, who served as the Leader of Opposition in the 7th Delhi Assembly dissolved last week, stated that the BJP’s Chief Minister would not stay in the bungalow as it is under investigation for alleged irregularities.
Gupta added that the land from the demerged properties was repurposed for other official uses, such as building government quarters.
For over two years, particularly during the assembly election campaign, the BJP aggressively targeted Kejriwal, accusing him of corruption, including irregularities in the bungalow's reconstruction, extravagant interiors, and the installation of high-end domestic goods and fixtures.
Kejriwal transformed the bungalow into “an ultra-luxurious ‘Sheesh Mahal’ by “illegally annexing” neighbouring government properties, Gupta wrote to the LG.
“The scope of these unauthorized alterations is particularly concerning. What was meant to be a standard official residence has been transformed into a lavish complex spanning more than 50,000 square meters,” Sachdeva wrote in the letter.
He said that the merged properties included eight Type-V flats at 45 and 47 Rajpur Road, along with two government bungalows (8-A and 8-B Flag Staff Road), which were combined with the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow.
“I urgently request your intervention to restore these properties to their original independent status and return 6-lag Staff Road to its previous area of less than 10,000 square meters,” said Sachdeva.
Gupta also urged the lieutenant governor to speed up the investigation into the alleged violations, emphasising the need for quick action to ensure accountability and restore public trust in government institutions.
With PTI inputs
