The bungalow at 6 Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines has been formally allotted to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday. This development comes just two days after Atishi was allegedly forced to vacate the property. An official offer letter from the Public Works Department (PWD) confirmed the allotment following the completion of the handover process and inventory preparation.
The offer letter stated, "The Director of Allotment, PWD, GNCTD is pleased to offer the under-mentioned PWD General Pool Bungalow to Ms. Atishi, Hon'ble Chief Minister, GNCTD, as per the provisions of Delhi Administration Allotment of Govt. Residences (General Pool) Rules, 1977." It further noted that upon submitting acceptance, Atishi would receive an Authority Slip from the PWD Secretariat, allowing her to take possession of the bungalow within the specified date. Failure to do so would result in the cancellation of the allotment.
AAP Vs BJP Over Delhi CM Bungalow Allotment
Atishi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday of trying to encroach upon the CM's residence, asserting that the BJP was frustrated due to its inability to defeat the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in elections. "The BJP is in tension because they haven't been able to defeat us at the polls. They couldn't even secure double-digit seats in the assembly, and their 'Operation Lotus' to break our party also failed. Even jailing our leaders didn't work," she stated at a press conference.
In response, BJP officials claimed the AAP was engaged in a drama to gain sympathy over the property issue. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva asserted that the Flagstaff Road bungalow is not an official residence for the Delhi Chief Minister, contrary to the portrayal by AAP.
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Atishi emphasised that the AAP is not in politics for material gains. "If the BJP gets peace by encroaching on the CM house, they are welcome to it. Our party isn't in politics for bungalows or cars. If necessary, AAP ministers and MLAs are ready to work from the streets," she declared.
On Wednesday, the AAP claimed that Atishi had been forcibly made to vacate the bungalow. They shared images of Atishi signing files at her Kalkaji residence, surrounded by cartons packed with her belongings. Posting these images on X, AAP stated that the BJP could not take away Atishi's commitment to serving the people of Delhi.
In response to these claims, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, pointed out that Atishi already had a bungalow allotted to her on Mathura Road, which had previously been used by former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for a decade. Gupta argued, "Atishi can work from her full-fledged office at Delhi Secretariat, but she is making a futile attempt by playing the victim card, posing with empty boxes."