Rekha Gupta attacks Kejriwal with 'sheesh mahal' jibe as CAG report on renovation cost tabled

New Delhi: Delhi has only one 'mahal', the 'sheesh mahal' of Arvind Kejriwal, while the rest live in 'dharmshalas' (shelters), Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Wednesday, taking a swipe at her former counterpart over the alleged extensive renovation of his house when he was in the seat.

Cinematic references from 'Dhurandar', comparing Kejriwal to 'Rahman Dakait', and a list of items installed inside his former residence marked the discussion of the CAG audit report in the Delhi Assembly.

There was no immediate response from AAP on the matter. The discussion took place when no AAP MLA was present inside the assembly.

"After taking a tour of the sheesh mahal, it felt like I live in a dharmshala. There is only one mahal in the city, while others live in dharmshalas. When people were dying in Delhi due to COVID, he (Kejriwal) was busy building his sheesh mahal," Gupta said during the discussion.

The chief minister said six different consultants were hired for a single job of renovation of the house, crores were given to them, privately, without tendering.

As she made the allegations, she recommended that the CAG report be referred to the Public Accounts Committee of the Delhi Assembly for further examination.

Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh read out the list of items inside the bungalow, handwritten on a paper roll, which the BJP MLAs waved at the Opposition benches.

The list, read out by Singh, carried such items as luxury furniture, imported fittings, high-value curtains, expensive chandeliers, gym equipment, multiple televisions, designer interiors, mini bars and barbecue units.

Meanwhile, Gupta claimed that Rs 7 crore was spent on the renovation of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia's residence.

She also read out a list of renovation costs, running into crores, spent on ministers and other functionaries of the previous AAP government.

Verma said the report has highlighted grave lapses in construction work.

"Recently, a popular movie, 'Dhurandhar,' was released. Arvind Kejriwal was like 'Rahman Dakait' who robbed public wealth, but our 'Dhurandhar' public voted such 'Dakait' (bandit) last year," he added.

The renovation work at Kejriwal's then official residence, 6 Flagstaff Road, was completed for Rs 33.66 crore, 342 per cent above the estimated cost, said a CAG report tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Monday.

The bungalow, where Kejriwal lived as Delhi chief minister from 2015 to 2024, was pejoratively named by the BJP as "sheesh mahal" during the February 2025 Delhi polls.