Mocked as ‘Sheesh Mahal’ by AAP’s detractors, the house and the controversy surrounding it are expected to make a comeback on Monday. 6, Flag Staff Road, New Delhi. The address became a headache for the Aam Aadmi Party and a major 2025 assembly poll issue for the BJP, after the then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was accused of sprucing up the massive bungalow with luxury amenities at the expense of the taxpayers.
CAG Report Highlights Significant Spending and Area Expansion
The recent report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) revealed that Rs 18.88 crore was allocated for items described as ‘superior specifications, artistic, antique and ornamental.’ Additionally, it noted a substantial increase in the built-up area, growing from 1,397 square metres to 1,905 square metres.
The party has also sought permission for the media to accompany the panel and demanded that photographs and videos of the visit be made public. The party had accused Kejriwal and AAP of wasting public money on personal luxuries – a charge regularly denied by the AAP. The controversy resurfaced in Punjab after Kejriwal shifted his political base to the state following AAP’s defeat in Delhi. AAP rejected the charge and sought proof. He vacated the premises after resigning as chief minister under intense political scrutiny from the BJP.
The Sheesh Mahal issue had become a major feature in the BJP’s poll campaign for the 2025 Delhi assembly elections. The reconstructed bungalow had served as Kejriwal’s official residence until October 2024.
On Sunday, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj dared the BJP to show the alleged “golden commode”, swimming pool and liquor bar during the inspection. In 2025, the BJP dubbed a government bungalow in Chandigarh “Sheesh Mahal 2.0” and accused the AAP chief of enjoying a lavish lifestyle.
