The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday alleged that Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal is yet to formally vacate the official bungalow at Delhi's 6 Flagstaff Road.
BJP's allegations come on the day Delhi chief minister Atishi shifted to the bungalow left by her predecessor, PTI reported.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva released a purported letter written by the Public Works Department (PWD) to the Special Secretary of the Chief Minister's Office, Prashant Ranjan Jha.
On October 4, Kejriwal left the bungalow number 6 where he had stayed in for the past 10 years as chief minister of the national capital.
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"Four days ago, we all witnessed the drama of Arvind Kejriwal leaving the bungalow, holding his parents' hands, but as per government rules, he still retains possession of the Sheesh Mahal to this day. Kejriwal's theatrics were merely an attempt to gain sympathy, with Sunita Kejriwal handing over the keys to an official, purely for camera display," ANI quoted Sachdeva as saying.
‘Sheesh Mahal’ is a term used by the BJP to target the bungalow. The party ran a campaign on alleged irregularities in its construction and money spent on costly interiors and household items there.
The BJP leader added that the said bungalow is not the designated residence for the Delhi CM but a common pool bungalow under the Public Works Department's ownership. A vigilance department investigation is ongoing regarding its reconstruction and expansion.
“As per rules, the bungalow should have been vacated, with the keys handed over to Public Works Department Section Officer Vijay Kumar. However, the keys were only handed over for the cameras, and moments later, Special Secretary Prashant Ranjan Jha retrieved them,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“As per rules, the bungalow should have been vacated, with the keys handed over to Public Works Department Section Officer Vijay Kumar. However, the keys were only handed over for the cameras, and moments later, Special Secretary Prashant Ranjan Jha retrieved them,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“As per protocol, whenever a government bungalow is vacated, an inventory is made, and the bungalow's condition is documented through videography. None of this was done in this instance.”
‘What is Atishi trying to conceal’: BJP
The Delhi BJP chief claimed that a day later Atishi sought the bungalow allocation for herself.
“However, the Sheesh Mahal bungalow is not reserved for any Chief Minister. The people of Delhi are perplexed as to what Chief Minister Atishi Marlena is trying to conceal, given her eagerness to occupy the bungalow so soon after,” he added.
Sachdeva added that the people of Delhi are astonished by the back-and-forth over the keys and wonder what might be hidden in the Sheesh Mahal bungalow that prevents Arvind Kejriwal from relinquishing custody to the Public Works Department, even temporarily.