Kejriwal’s ‘New Palace’ Sparks Political Storm in Punjab

• BJP alleges Kejriwal allotted a luxury bungalow in Chandigarh by Punjab government.
• AAP MP Swati Maliwal echoes the charge, calling Punjab administration “one-man government.”
• AAP yet to respond to allegations.
• The ‘Sheeshmahal’ issue was central to AAP’s electoral loss in Delhi earlier this year.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 31st Oct: The ‘Sheeshmahal’ controversy surrounding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has resurfaced, this time with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming he has been allotted another “7-star bungalow” in Chandigarh’s Sector 2 by the Punjab government.

Sharing an aerial image on social media, the BJP alleged that the two-acre bungalow, complete with manicured lawns, has been built for Kejriwal in Punjab — despite his public image as a “common man.” “After the Delhi ‘sheeshmahal’ was vacated, Punjab’s ‘Super Chief Minister’ Arvind Kejriwalji has had an even more splendid ‘sheeshmahal’ built,” the Delhi BJP posted on X.

AAP MP Swati Maliwal — who has been at odds with the party leadership — also shared the same photograph earlier, accusing the Punjab government of “serving one man.” She alleged that Kejriwal recently used a government helicopter and a private jet for political travel, reigniting questions about misuse of public resources.

The Aam Aadmi Party and Kejriwal have not yet issued an official response.

The controversy comes months after the BJP’s aggressive campaign in Delhi, where it accused Kejriwal of spending ₹45 crore of taxpayers’ money on his Flag Staff Road residence. Following AAP’s defeat in the February polls — where it lost power in Delhi for the first time in over a decade — the government announced plans to convert the property into a guest house.

An October 2024 CPWD report had flagged “luxurious renovations” and “installation of high-end appliances” at the Delhi bungalow, prompting a central probe into potential violations of building norms.