PWD seals Delhi CM Atishi's official bungalow; AAP claims luggage thrown out on Lt Governor's order

The Public Works Department (PWD) on Wednesday sealed Delhi Chief Minister Atishi's residence, which was recently vacated by Arvind Kejriwal. The department said that after Kejriwal vacated the residence, the keys were supposed to be given to it instead they were directly given to Atishi. 

Atishi moved with her belongings to the bungalow in North Delhi's Civil Lines area on Monday. Today, the Delhi Chief Minister's Office claimed that Delhi LG got all the belongings of Atishi removed from the Chief Minister's residence.

However, Delhi assembly LoP Vijender Gupta said that the current chief minister was illegally moved to the bungalow. "Why wasn't the bungalow handed over to the PwD by following protocols," he said in a video message. 

"Arvind Kejriwal's 'Sheesh Mahal' has finally been sealed. What secrets are hidden in that bungalow that without handing over the keys to the concerned department, you were trying to enter the bungalow again?" asked Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva.

Sachdeva claimed that the bungalow was still in Kejriwal's possession. He said the way Kejriwal tried to hand over the bungalow to Atishi was "unconstitutional". "Atishi has already been allotted a bungalow then how can she take your bungalow? A lot of secrets are hidden in that bungalow," he said. 

The AAP charged that officers were not allotting the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow to Atishi due to BJP's pressure. The bungalow was occupied for over nine years by Kejriwal who vacated it after resigning as chief minister.

In a press conference, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the bungalow was yet to be allotted to Atishi and accused the BJP of trying to "usurp" the bungalow. Showing documents, Singh claimed the bungalow was properly vacated by Kejriwal. 

The BJP earlier alleged that the bungalow was not handed over to the PWD and its keys were still with Kejriwal. Singh, however, refuted this claim.

Responding to Singh's charges, Vijender Gupta questioned why the keys of the bungalow were not handed over to the PWD by Kejriwal and instead got into the hands of Atishi. In a post on X, he said Atishi was already allotted AB-17 bungalow on Mathura Road, and accused officials of "deliberately" protecting "illegal occupation" of the Flagstaff Road bungalow. 

Atishi was allotted the AB-17 residence last year after she was appointed a minister in Kejriwal government. 

(With inputs from PTI)