The Aam Aadmi Party intensified its attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the renewed “Sheesh Mahal 2” controversy, with Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accusing the BJP of spreading fabricated visuals targeting Arvind Kejriwal. He described the BJP as the “Bharatiya Jhootha Party” and alleged that false images were being circulated to damage Kejriwal’s reputation.
Singh firmly rejected the visuals presented by Parvesh Verma, calling them “completely fake, false, and baseless.” He warned that both Verma and media outlets that broadcast such images could face defamation proceedings, stating that the BJP was resorting to misinformation and propaganda to target political opponents.
The controversy escalated after Verma, during a press conference, accused Kejriwal of living a lavish lifestyle inconsistent with his earlier image of simplicity. Referring to Kejriwal’s recent move to a government bungalow at Lodhi Estate in Delhi, Verma alleged that the residence had been transformed into a luxurious property, which he described as “Sheesh Mahal 2.” He also displayed visuals that he claimed were from the residence to support his allegations.
AAP leaders, however, strongly contested these claims. Sanjay Singh reiterated that the images had no connection to Kejriwal’s house and challenged senior officials, including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, to open their residences for public inspection alongside Kejriwal’s, allowing citizens to judge for themselves.
Delhi minister Atishi also dismissed the BJP’s allegations, claiming that the visuals shown at the press conference were sourced from Pinterest rather than being genuine images of Kejriwal’s residence. She accused the BJP of misleading the public and mocked the attempt, suggesting that even basic verification could have exposed the claim.
The dispute comes amid heightened political tensions following a significant development in Parliament, where seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs — Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Vikramjit Sahney, and Rajendra Gupta — resigned from the party and announced their merger with the BJP. The move significantly reduced AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha and triggered a fresh political confrontation between the two parties.
Amid this fallout, Sanjay Singh stated that he would file a disqualification petition before the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha against the defecting MPs, arguing that their actions warranted legal scrutiny despite the provisions of the anti-defection law.
Overall, the exchange reflects an escalating political battle, with allegations of misinformation, counterclaims, and legal threats shaping the narrative as both parties seek to defend their positions and challenge each other’s credibility.
