NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Arvind Kejriwal, a day after Raghav Chadha and six other Rajya Sabha MPs left the Aam Aadmi Party. The BJP referred to Kejriwal as the 'Rahman Dakait of Delhi' and released fresh images of what it called 'Sheeshmahal 2'.
Delhi minister Parvesh Verma, in a press conference, accused Kejriwal of leading a lavish lifestyle despite earlier claims of simplicity. '...Delhi's Rahman Dakait, just as a sequel to the movie Dhurandhar came out, similarly, we are going to reveal Sheesh Mahal 2 today...' Verma said.
Verma alleged that the original Sheesh Mahal in Delhi was constructed while the city was battling the Covid-19 wave. '...Kejriwal built the Sheesh Mahal in Delhi when Delhi was suffering from the COVID wave... The people of Delhi were demanding COVID medicine and were dying. During that time, work on Delhi's Sheesh Mahal didn't stop for a single day, as per Kejriwal's orders...' he claimed.
The BJP leader further stated that after electoral setbacks in Delhi, Kejriwal shifted his political focus to Punjab, creating pressure for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. '...When our Dhurandhar Delhi voters defeated Delhi's Rahman Dakait, he moved to Punjab, increasing Bhagwant Mann's problems. Of the four large government houses surrounding Bhagwant Mann's house, one was occupied by Kejriwal, another by former Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain, a third by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and another by Manish Sisodia...' Verma said.
Verma also targeted Kejriwal over his recent residence at 95 Lodhi Estate and accused him of abandoning his earlier image of modest living. '...In Punjab, Bhagwant Mann is upset... He built another Sheesh Mahal there. Today, in Delhi, he has been going to court for the past several years, asking for a bungalow. And when he got the bungalow where he moved in yesterday, 95 Lodhi Estate. When the pictures of it came out, we were astonished. The man who said he would live simply today lives in a luxurious manner...' he said.
The BJP also alleged that the properties were linked to funds from the alleged liquor scam case. There was no immediate response from Kejriwal or the AAP regarding the accusations.
