LG cancels office allotment to Aam Aadmi Party

Lt Governor Anil Baijal today cancelled office allotment to the ruling AAP, stating the allotment was made in "clear violation" of rules, as powers on land in the national capital are vested with the Centre.

The L-G office sources told PTI Baijal had also sought opinion of the Public Works Department on the issue said the "accommodation was alloted violating the rules".

"The accommodation allotment to the AAP by the government was in clear violation of laid down rules as powers related to land in Delhi are vested with the Centre," the sources said.

The allotment of the accommodation was one of the "irregularities" pointed out by three-member Shunglu panel constituted by the then L-G Najeeb Jung to examine files related to decision taken by the AAP government.

In November 2015, the AAP government had approved a policy for land allotment to state parties. The Kejriwal government then alloted a bungalow to the AAP on the Rouse Avenue early last year. The bungalow was earlier alloted to Asim Ahmed Khan, the then Delhi Minister, who was sacked over graft charges.

Hitting out at the L-G and the Centre, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, the BJP was not allowing the AAP to work for the people in the national capital. "I want to know, what is the personal enmity with Aam Aadmi Party? Why is the party being targeted and why this discrimination against us?

"I want to know whether a party which has got huge mandate from the people and won 67 out of 70 seats cannot have its office in the state?" Singh asked.

He said while the BJP has been alloted a bungalow on the Pant Marg, former L-G Najeeb Jung had also alloted land to the saffron party on the DDU Marg, which was orginally earmarked for a school.

The BJP said, allotment of an accommodation for office to the AAP was a "criminal breach of trust and illegal encroachment of the property".

"No sanction was taken from the Urban Development Ministry, the authority concerned, before for the move. Land is not a subject for the Delhi government. Even Delhi government's PWD has flagged the allotment proposal," Vijender Gupta, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, said.

"Installation of furniture and electrical fittings made in the government bungalow was turned into party office on public expense. This was against the norms. PWD raised objections, but they were ignored by the Chief Minister," Gupta added.

AAP leader Ashish Khetan said, when "smaller parties" can have offices in the national capital, why can't a state party that has an over-whelming majority in the Delhi Assembly, have the same.