Alleged Eviction of Delhi CM Sparks Tensions Between AAP and BJP

In what appears to be another chapter in the ongoing conflict between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the central government, the AAP has alleged that the Delhi Chief Minister Atishi was evicted from her official residence merely two days after moving in. The Chief Minister’s Office has accused Lieutenant Governor Vinai Saxena of forcibly removing Atishi’s belongings at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, sources within the Lieutenant Governor’s office have dismissed these claims as baseless.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, “For the first time in the history of the country, the Chief Minister’s residence was vacated… At the behest of the BJP, the Lt Governor forcibly removed Chief Minister Atishi’s belongings from the Chief Minister’s residence.” The statement points towards a more extensive strategy by the BJP to undermine the AAP’s leadership in the capital.

Sources from the office of the Lieutenant Governor have refuted these allegations, asserting that Atishi had not been officially allotted the residence on Flagstaff Road in the Civil Lines area of Delhi. “Atishi herself kept her belongings in that house even before it was allotted to her and then removed them herself,” stated these sources. They emphasized that Atishi’s rightful residence remained at 17 AB Mathura Road.

PWD sources indicated that the bungalow’s allocation process was not completed due to missing documentation, which was supposed to be furnished prior to any handover. A double lock has been placed on the residence, awaiting the necessary formalities.

This controversy arises in the aftermath of the former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal‘s resignation. Kejriwal vacated the residence on Flagstaff Road after a tenure of over nine years and is now situated at Ferozeshah Road, which was originally allotted to AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, Ashok Mittal.

The incident has fueled a fresh debate between the AAP and the BJP, with AAP accusing the BJP of attempting to “usurp” the bungalow. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh contended that the BJP was propagating falsehoods about Kejriwal’s eviction to create confusion.

In response, Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva criticized Kejriwal’s attempts to retain the residence, citing procedural lapses and questioning the need for Atishi to occupy the same dwelling. The opposition has dubbed the controversy a result of unconstitutional acts by the AAP.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department (PWD) has highlighted the need for vigilance due to ongoing investigations related to construction within the residence. Accordingly, they deem it essential to complete an inventory inspection before formally reassigning the residence.