War of words breaks out between BJP, AAP over renovation of Kejriwal’s house

A war of words has broken out between the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the renovation of the house of Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal.

The BJP said that Kejriwal spent over Rs 45 crore renovating his residence. The party accused him of extravagance and hypocrisy. This promoted rebuttals by the AAP.

The BJP's Sambit Patra said that Kejriwal who leads the AAP had betrayed his promise of promoting honesty and simplicity when he entered politics. He referred to him as a 'Maharaja' and said he had a lust for luxury and comfort.

He also alleged that Kejriwal had offered Rs 20 to Rs 50 crore to a media house to suppress the story. However the media house had ignored his offer, reports said.

Patra also alleged that Kejriwal's house had been fitted with expensive marble from Vietnam, pre-fabricated wooden walls and curtains that cost lakhs of Rupees.Onre curtain alone cost Rs 7.94 lakh, the BJP leader alleged.

"This is the story of a shameless king," Patra said.

The AAP however accused the BJP of hiding the real conditions of Kejriwal's house. The party also posted images and videos of the house being in a dilapidated condition.

"Rs 80 crore was spent on the 3-hour visit of friend Donald Trump. The Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh take aircraft worth Rs 200 crore for themselves. No channel has the guts to debate this," AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said in a tweet.

"Arvind Kejriwal was allotted a bungalow built in 1942, smaller than 1 acre, whose roof fell thrice. Once the roof of his parents' room fell down and once where they held Janata Durbar. The painting/repair of the Lieutenant Governor's bungalow spread over 6 acres is more than the cost of building a house for the Chief Minister of Delhi," she also said in a tweet in Hindi.

"Sir BJP's media is saying that Arvind Kejriwal ji has built a palace worth 45 crores for himself. You take this palace, and give your poor house to Arvind ji so that the debate can take place on public issues," she said while targeting Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.

According to AAP leader Sanjay Singh, the controversy had been stoked to distract people from the real issues. He said, the Prime Minister who calls himself a 'fakir' is getting a house worth Rs 500 crore constructed.