Arvind Kejriwal does a flip-flop on official residence

After refusing two 5-bedroom duplex houses, newly appointed Delhi CM says on social media he will need two adjacent modest houses for greater efficiency

Newly elected Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday did a flipflop of sorts on the issue of houses allotted to him, first refusing two five-bedroom duplex flats offered to him by the Delhi government and later going on to social media to state that he would ‘need two adjacent houses for greater efficency.’

“My friends and party supporters have been calling me since yesterday and they think I should not move into these flats. So I have asked the Delhi government for a smaller accommodation till then,” Kejriwal said at a party strategy meeting on Saturday about the two five-bedroom duplex flats.

However, soon after that, he posted on his Facebook page that he would need two adjacent houses for better efficiency. “I would need to have two adjacent houses, one of them as an office, else I would become ineffective,” said Kejriwal.

Soon after this, Kejriwal drew criticism from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also gave a word of advice to the Delhi chief minister to concentrate more on work. “No one will grudge Kejriwal a 5-bedroom home. What they will grudge is poor delivery of election promises so just let him move in and govern,” Abdullah said on social networking website Twitter.  He asked Kejriwal to focus on ‘what really matters’. “I don't think anyone voted against Sheila Dikshit because of her residence so best to focus on what really matters rather than the fluff,” another 'tweet' of Abdullah said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief was offered two five-bedroom duplex flats on Bhagwan Dass Road, situated in central Delhi. However, he had faced criticism from opposition parties and also, a few sections of the media. He had earlier refused to move to a bunglow proposed to him by Delhi chief secretary D M Sapoli —a perk enjoyed by the chief minister of the state.

Kejriwal, who lives in Kaushambi in Ghaziabad, said that he would commute from his residence till he is allotted a smaller flat.

Kejriwal also clarified that the controversy surrounding the party's ministers using the government vehicle is uncalled for. “Ministers have to use government transport for their work and we never ever said that we won't use govt transport. We said we won't use lal battis (red beacons). And we stand by that,” said Kejriwal in his Facebook post.

A few ministers of the AAP were seen using public transport to come to work on the first day. However, on Friday, several ministers were seen coming in SUVs given by the state government to them.