The ghosts of Delhi's infamous "Sheesh Mahal" have returned to haunt Arvind Kejriwal, as the BJP unleashed a blistering attack with aerial photos of a sprawling, opulent bungalow in Chandigarh's elite Sector 2—allegedly allotted to the AAP national convenor by his own party's Punjab government. Dubbed "Sheesh Mahal 2.0," the palatial residence, sprawling across two acres of pristine land with manicured lawns, towering trees, and resort-like seclusion, has reignited accusations of hypocrisy against the man who once campaigned from a metro ride and a muffler.
The BJP's Delhi unit didn't hold back on X, sarcastically crowning Kejriwal "Punjab's Super Chief Minister" and mocking: "The man who pretended to be the 'common man' has had another grand 'sheeshmahal' built..." They claimed the "7-star bungalow" dwarfs even the controversial Delhi residence that cost taxpayers ₹45 crore in lavish renovations—marble floors, imported chandeliers, and gold-plated fixtures included.
Adding fuel to the fire, the same aerial image was posted 20 minutes earlier by AAP's estranged Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, whose bitter fallout with Kejriwal began after she accused his close aide Bibhav Kumar of assault in May 2024. Maliwal went further, alleging the Punjab government now exists solely to "serve one man." She pointed to Kejriwal's recent travel: a government helicopter picking him up from his doorstep in Chandigarh to Ambala, followed by a private jet to Gujarat for party work—all on taxpayer dime.
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The mansion sits on a corner plot in a near-deserted, high-security zone, surrounded by lush greenery that screams exclusivity rather than austerity. Critics are already drawing parallels to the Delhi bungalow at 6, Flag Staff Road, which the new BJP-led Delhi government confirmed this month will be converted into a public guest house with a cafeteria. During the campaign, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta had promised to turn it into a "corruption museum," vowing: "We will sell tickets and show people how AAP looted public money."
The original Sheesh Mahal scandal played a pivotal role in AAP's humiliating defeat in the February 2025 Delhi elections—reducing the party from 62 seats in 2020 to a mere 22, with Kejriwal himself losing his New Delhi seat for the first time in a decade. A damning October 2024 CPWD report exposed "luxurious renovations" and "high-end appliances," prompting a central probe into alleged violations of building norms.
As silence emanates from Kejriwal and AAP headquarters, political circles buzz with speculation: Is this Chandigarh mansion the new symbol of AAP's fall from anti-corruption crusaders to alleged power abusers? With Punjab under AAP rule since 2022, questions mount over whether public funds were diverted for personal luxury—again.
The BJP has vowed to escalate the issue in Parliament and on the streets, promising more revelations. For now, the aerial photo of "Sheesh Mahal 2.0" stands as a viral indictment: a leader who preached simplicity, now accused of living like royalty—twice.
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