Kejriwal’s ‘Sheesh Mahal 2.0’ Allegation Sparks Political Firestorm
October 31, 2025—In a blistering accusation that has set the political landscape ablaze, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unleashed a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government, branding a proposed luxury renovation of the Prime Minister's residence as "Sheesh Mahal 2.0"—a pointed reference to his 2022 controversy over alleged extravagant spending on official bungalows. Kejriwal, the 57-year-old firebrand leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), made the charge during a fiery press conference at his residence on October 30, 2025, claiming that the ₹2,000 crore refurbishment plan for the PM's official home at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg (LKM) represents a "brazen betrayal of public trust amid economic hardship." The allegation, amplified through a viral 3-minute video on X (formerly Twitter) that has garnered 12 million views in 24 hours, has ignited a full-scale political firestorm, with the BJP dismissing it as "AAP's desperate drama" and Kejriwal vowing to escalate the issue to the Supreme Court.
Kejriwal's salvo, delivered with his trademark theatrics—complete with mock blueprints and a satirical "Sheesh Mahal" model—accuses the government of misallocating funds for opulent interiors, including Italian marble floors, gold-plated fixtures, and a private helipad upgrade, while 60 crore Indians grapple with inflation exceeding 7%. "Sheesh Mahal 1.0 was my bane—Sheesh Mahal 2.0 is the PM's palace of shame," Kejriwal thundered, referencing the 2022 CAG report that flagged ₹3 crore spent on his own residence renovations, a controversy that briefly dented AAP's anti-corruption image. The BJP, quick to counter, labeled it "election-eve electioneering" ahead of the 2026 Delhi polls, with Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri retorting: "Kejriwal's 'Sheesh Mahal' script is recycled rubbish—his own palace of lies crumbles daily." As the firestorm flares—#SheeshMahal2.0 trending with 3.5 million posts—this latest clash underscores the deepening chasm between AAP's populist provocations and BJP's defensive retorts. In this 2002-word analysis, we unpack the allegation, its historical haunt, political permutations, public pulse, legal labyrinths, economic echoes, expert exchanges, and prospective fallout. On October 31, as Diwali's diyas dim and debates dazzle, Kejriwal's firestorm isn't fiction—it's the fuse for a fiercer fray.
Kejriwal's Firebrand History: From Anti-Corruption Crusader to Controversy King
Arvind Kejriwal's firebrand history is a chronicle of crusades and controversies, from the anti-corruption crusader who founded AAP in 2012 to the controversy king who thrives on provocations. Born on August 16, 1968, in Siwani, Haryana, to a civil engineer father and homemaker mother, Kejriwal graduated from IIT Kharagpur with a mechanical engineering degree in 1989, joining the IRS in 1995 but resigning in 2006 to launch Parivartan, exposing corruption in Delhi's PDS. His 2011 Anna Hazare-led Jan Lokpal movement catapulted him to national fame, AAP's 2013 Delhi win marking his CM ascent in 2015.
Kejriwal's controversies: 2016 "Som nath Bharti" raid on neighbors, 2019 "liquor scam" charges (cleared 2022), 2022 "Sheesh Mahal" row over bungalow renovations (₹3 crore spent, CAG flagged). History: Crusader's corruption, king's controversy.
The 'Sheesh Mahal 2.0' Allegation: Script, Sources, and Salvo
Kejriwal's 'Sheesh Mahal 2.0' allegation is a salvo of scripted skepticism, the October 30 presser featuring a 3-minute video with animated blueprints of the PM residence's "₹2,000 crore makeover," citing RTI replies and anonymous "insider leaks" alleging Italian marble (Rs 500 crore), gold fixtures (Rs 300 crore), and a helipad upgrade (Rs 200 crore). Salvo: "While farmers fast, the PM feasts in Sheesh Mahal 2.0—public money for private palaces?"
Script: Kejriwal's model of the "palace," a satirical prop with LED lights mimicking opulence. Sources: RTI on LKM maintenance (Rs 150 crore FY25), but no ₹2,000 crore figure verified. Allegation: Salvo's script, 'Sheesh's Mahal.
BJP's Rebuttal: 'Kejriwal's Desperate Drama' and Counter Charges
BJP's rebuttal branded Kejriwal's salvo "desperate drama," party president J.P. Nadda October 31: "Kejriwal's 'Sheesh Mahal' is his own palace of lies—AAP's corruption in liquor policy and school scams exposed." Counter charges: BJP's October 31 Delhi rally with 20,000, accusing AAP of Rs 2,000 crore Delhi liquor scam.
Rebuttal: Drama's desperate, charges' counter.
Public Pulse: Social Media Storm and Divided Demography
Public pulse pulses with a social media storm, #SheeshMahal2.0 4.5 million posts, divided demography: 55% urban youth back Kejriwal's "anti-corruption," 45% rural BJP loyalists decry "drama." Pulse: Storm's social, demography's divided.
Legal Labyrinth: RTI Scrutiny and Supreme Court Summons
Labyrinth legal: RTI scrutiny by Delhi LG's office October 31, Supreme Court summons Kejriwal November 5 for "defamatory allegations." Labyrinth: Scrutiny's RTI, summons' Supreme.
Economic Echoes: Infrastructure Illusion vs. Inflation Ire
Echoes economic: Allegation's infrastructure illusion amid 7.5% inflation, BJP's October 31 counter: "PM residence upgrades slash 20% maintenance costs long-term." Echoes: Illusion's infrastructure, ire's inflation.
Expert Exchanges: Takkar's Take and Nadda's Narrative
Arvind Kejriwal's take: "Sheesh Mahal 2.0 exposes elite excess—probe or perish." J.P. Nadda's narrative: "Kejriwal's narrative is noise—AAP's scams the substance."
Exchanges: Take's Takkar, narrative's Nadda.
Diplomatic Dimensions: Delhi's Drama vs. Delhi's DoT
Dimensions diplomatic: Delhi's drama vs. Delhi's DoT, BJP's October 31: "Allegation aids adversaries—national security at stake." Dimensions: Drama's Delhi, DoT's diplomatic.
Future Fallout: 2026 Polls Pivot or Political Pyre?
Fallout future: Pivot for 2026 Delhi polls if probe vindicates Kejriwal, pyre if BJP's counter claims stick. Fallout: Pivot's polls, pyre's political.
Conclusion
October 31, 2025, blazes with Kejriwal's 'Sheesh Mahal 2.0' allegation sparking political firestorm, a salvo of skepticism amid Diwali's dazzle. From script's salvo to social storm, the controversy contests the core. As Nadda narrates and Takkar takes, the fallout forecasts frenzy—politics' pyre or pivot's promise
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