New Delhi, March 25, 2025 – Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the BJP-led government’s maiden budget of Rs 1 lakh crore for 2025-26 on Tuesday, taking a sharp dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal. During her Assembly speech, Gupta contrasted her administration’s vision with AAP’s tenure, saying, “You made ‘Sheeshmahal’, we will build,” referencing the controversial lavish bungalow renovations linked to Kejriwal.
The ‘Sheeshmahal’ tag, coined by BJP, stems from allegations that Kejriwal misused Rs 45 crore in public funds to upgrade his official residence at 6, Flagstaff Road, a charge AAP denies. Gupta’s barb came as she outlined a budget—up 31.5% from last year’s Rs 77,000 crore—focused on clean water (Rs 9,000 crore), women’s welfare via Mahila Samriddhi Yojana (Rs 5,100 crore), and infrastructure like flyovers (Rs 3,800 crore). “They made promises, we’ll fulfil them,” she added, accusing AAP of hollow rhetoric.
BJP’s February victory, securing 48 of 70 seats, ousted AAP’s 10-year rule, leaving it with 22. AAP’s Atishi countered, pointing to missing economic data and unmet promises like Rs 2,500 monthly women’s aid. Beneath the rivalry lies Delhi’s unresolved challenges—air quality, flooding, and public faith in leadership—testing whether this budget can move beyond rhetoric to real solutions.
