The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of obstructing the allotment of the official residence to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi. This claim emerged after AAP representatives stated that officers are refusing to allocate the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow to Atishi due to alleged pressure from the BJP, despite the bungalow being vacated by her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, has leveled serious accusations against Atishi, claiming she is “illegally” occupying the bungalow. He demanded that the property be sealed to prevent further unauthorized access. Atishi recently relocated her belongings to the North Delhi bungalow, which had been occupied by Kejriwal for over nine years until his resignation.
During a press conference, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh expressed frustration over the lack of action from authorities, stating that the bungalow has yet to be officially allotted to Atishi. Singh accused the BJP of attempting to “usurp” the chief minister’s official residence and indicated that the camp office located on the premises had also been vacated.
Political Maneuvering And Key Controversies
Singh further contended that the BJP’s inability to secure victory in Delhi’s assembly elections has led them to target the chief minister’s residence. He criticized the BJP’s claims that the bungalow keys were not handed over to the Public Works Department (PWD) by Kejriwal, asserting that such statements are unfounded.
In response, Gupta questioned the delay in transferring the keys and called for immediate action from the PWD to seal the bungalow. He alleged that Atishi was already assigned another official residence at AB-17 on Mathura Road and accused officials of “deliberately” allowing Atishi’s continued occupation of the Flagstaff Road property.
#WATCH | Visuals from outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister, 6-flag Staff Road, Civil Lines.
A team of PWD officials has reached here. Delhi CMO claims that Delhi LG got all the belongings of Chief Minister Atishi removed from the Chief Minister’s residence. pic.twitter.com/L3ukGlWYLk
— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2024
What Has AAP Said In Defense?
Sanjay Singh countered Gupta’s allegations by emphasizing that AAP has documentary proof of Kejriwal vacating the bungalow. He stated that despite holding a meeting at the camp office within the bungalow, Atishi’s staff had been removed under dubious circumstances. Singh reiterated that the refusal to allocate the official residence to Atishi was a blatant disregard for protocol influenced by the BJP.
In a statement, he accused the BJP of fabricating “lies” to create confusion and undermine AAP’s credibility in Delhi. Singh highlighted the BJP’s repeated failures in assembly elections as the reason behind their efforts to usurp the chief minister’s residence, claiming, “They contested assembly elections thrice in Delhi and lost to AAP every time.”
