A political controversy has erupted over the allocation of a government bungalow in Chandigarh to Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal. The Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged that the Punjab government allotted a two-acre luxury bungalow in Sector 2, Chandigarh, to Kejriwal, calling it Sheesh Mahal 2.0. BJP leaders claim the house is being funded by taxpayers and question the legitimacy of the allocation. AAP has rejected these accusations, stating that the BJP is spreading baseless lies and that Chandigarh's administration is under BJP control. The party challenged the BJP to produce any allotment letter or official order. The disputed bungalow, number 50 in Sector 2, was earlier allotted to AAP Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha in 2022 but remained unused. Sources suggest Kejriwal now uses it after moving from a guesthouse in Mohali. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reportedly visits the property regularly for meetings. Several AAP leaders from Delhi have also been accommodated in government bungalows and positions in Punjab, raising further questions about resource allocation.
AAP Leaders Occupy Punjab Government Housing
Beyond the Sector 2 bungalow, multiple AAP leaders from Delhi have been provided government accommodation in Punjab. Manish Sisodia, AAP's Punjab in-charge, resides in bungalow number 960 in Sector 39, initially allotted to a Punjab minister. Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain occupies house number 926 in the same sector. Other AAP leaders appointed to various Punjab boards and commissions also reside in government properties. These include Anurag Kundu in house 919 and Kamal Bansal in house 905, both in Sector 39. Several officials from Delhi stay at Punjab Bhawan guesthouse in Chandigarh while working for Punjab departments. This pattern has drawn criticism about resource use in a state facing financial constraints.
BJP Questions Allocation; AAP Denies Claims
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva shared Google map images of the property, alleging Kejriwal received a seven-star government bungalow from the Chief Minister's quota. BJP leaders questioned under what authority Punjab allocated such a large property to someone who holds no official position in the state. Rebel AAP leader Swati Maliwal disputed the claim that the house serves as the CM's camp office, asking how Kejriwal could live there if it were official workspace. AAP countered that Chandigarh's administration is under BJP control, demanding evidence of any allotment letter or official order. The party described the allegations as desperate attempts to distract from other issues, calling the seven-star house claim absurd and fabricated.
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