A fresh political controversy has erupted in Delhi after chief minister Rekha Gupta’s husband, Manish Gupta, was seen attending a government meeting with her on Sunday, convened to review development projects in the Shalimar Bagh assembly constituency.
AAP leaders drew a comparison with the “Phulera Panchayat,” referencing the web series Panchayat, where the husband of an elected woman village head informally assumes leadership responsibilities.
Former Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said Rekha Gupta’s husband attending official meetings is unconstitutional, questioning why a family member is involved in government affairs.
“Delhi government becomes Phulera Panchayat. Just as in Phulera's panchayat, where the woman sarpanch's husband acted as the sarpanch, today in Delhi, the CM's husband is sitting in official meetings. We had previously mentioned that the CM's husband attends official meetings, conducts meetings with officials, and carries out inspections. This is completely unconstitutional,” Saurabh Bhardwaj wrote on X.
He alleged that in Delhi, democracy and the constitutional system are being undermined, calling the chief minister's husband’s involvement in government work a form of dynastic politics.
“In the nation's capital, democracy and the constitutional system are being mocked in this manner. The BJP, which relentlessly criticises Congress for dynastic politics, should explain—is this not dynastic politics? Does the CM of the world's largest party have no worker left whom she can trust? What is that work which only a family member can do?” the AAP leader questioned.
{{/usCountry}}“In the nation's capital, democracy and the constitutional system are being mocked in this manner. The BJP, which relentlessly criticises Congress for dynastic politics, should explain—is this not dynastic politics? Does the CM of the world's largest party have no worker left whom she can trust? What is that work which only a family member can do?” the AAP leader questioned.
{{/usCountry}}AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh added, “Welcome to Phulera Panchayat. Modi ji has made two CMs in Delhi. Rekha Gupta is CM, her husband is Super CM. Modi ji’s BJP has wrecked Delhi in 6 months.”
BJP responds
Responding to the allegation, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said the chief minister was holding a routine review meeting of her constituency and that her husband’s presence did not involve issuing any illegal orders.
“The Aam Aadmi Party should find something more substantive to target CM Rekha Gupta. She was holding a review meeting of her constituency, which is managed by her husband—similar to past practices. Unlike Sunita Kejriwal, the CM’s husband was not issuing illegal orders. Stop targeting her for doing her work well.”