AAP claims CM Atishi denied Flagstaff Road bungalow, BJP calls for sealing

In "defiance" of protocol, officers are not allotting the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi due to BJP's pressure, even as it was vacated by her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP charged on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta accused the chief minister of "illegally" occupying the bungalow and demanded it be sealed.

Atishi moved with her belongings to the bungalow in North Delhi's Civil Lines area on Monday. It 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 yet to be allotted to Atishi and accused the BJP of trying to "usurp" the bungalow.

He also claimed that a camp office of the chief minister present on the bungalow premises has been vacated.

He charged that as the BJP has been unable to win assembly polls in Delhi, it is now trying to "usurp" the bungalow of Delhi chief minister.

Showing documents, Singh claimed the bungalow was properly vacated by Kejriwal.

The BJP earlier alleged that the bungalow was not handed over to the Public Works Department (PWD) and its keys were still with kejriwal. Singh, however, refuted this claim.

Responding to Singh's allegations, 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.

He urged the PWD to seal the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow as he accused the chief minister of "illegally" occupying it.

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.

Singh alleged that the BJP was spreading "lies" on the issue despite documentary proof of Kejriwal vacating the bungalow.

"Chief Minister Atishi held a meeting at the camp office at the bungalow but later on the staff there were removed. In defiance of protocol, the officers have not allotted the official chief minister residence to Atishi under BJP's pressure," Singh alleged in a statement.

The BJP is spreading "lies" and creating confusion in Delhi as its tactics to undermine the AAP and break the party have failed, alleged the AAP leader.

"They contested Assembly elections thrice in Delhi and lost from the AAP every time. Since they can't win elections, they are trying to usurp the chief minister's residence," he charged.

Atishi was the rightful allottee of the chief minister's residence, the party MP said and alleged that the BJP was lying that the keys of the bungalow were not handed over to the PWD.