CHANDIGARH ,July 9: Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal has sparked a significant political controversy by asserting that he deserves a Nobel Prize for his government’s administrative achievements. This claim, made during the launch of the Punjabi edition of ‘The Kejriwal Model’ in Chandigarh on Tuesday, has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which currently governs Delhi.
Kejriwal stated that despite facing numerous obstacles, including interference from the Lieutenant Governor and other difficulties, his administration in Delhi delivered effectively. “Despite being stopped from working, we performed. I should get a Nobel Prize for governance and administration for doing so much despite there being a lieutenant governor and various difficulties,” Kejriwal remarked.
The statement elicited an immediate and fiery response from the Delhi BJP unit.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva swiftly condemned Kejriwal’s comments, accusing him of self-aggrandizement in the face of widespread allegations of corruption and mismanagement during his tenure.
“Kejriwal demanding a Nobel Prize for himself is laughable. He would have surely received one if there were categories for incompetence, anarchy and corruption,” Sachdeva retorted. He proceeded to enumerate alleged irregularities under the AAP regime, citing scams related to panic buttons on public transport buses, classroom construction, women’s pension schemes, liquor licensing, and the controversial renovation of the Chief Minister’s official residence, derisively termed the “sheesh mahal” by critics.
The AAP, in turn, hit back at the BJP, accusing them of resorting to personal attacks instead of focusing on their current responsibilities of governance. Former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, “Virendra Sachdeva is in the government now. It is time to govern, not just talk.
Opposition days are over – now you have to deliver. Delhi is waiting for real work, not distractions or name-calling.”
During his address, Kejriwal staunchly defended his administration’s performance, emphasizing that the AAP’s governance model is founded on principles of transparency and honesty. “If a government is corrupt, if its ministers are looting, this model will collapse,” he asserted, crediting his party’s success in Delhi and Punjab to its efforts in curbing corruption and judiciously saving public funds. “Previous governments had claimed that the treasury was empty.
But we fixed schools and hospitals and gave free electricity, because we curbed corruption,” he added.
Kejriwal further launched a scathing attack on the current BJP-led administration in Delhi, alleging a “collapse” of services in the national capital since the AAP exited power in September 2024. He accused BJP MLAs and ministers of prioritizing personal gain over effective governance, claiming that citizens are already longing for the return of AAP’s rule.
Sachdeva, however, dismissed these accusations, countering that the people of Delhi vividly recall the “series of scams” that allegedly occurred under Kejriwal’s leadership, including the purported misuse of public funds for the renovation of his residence and significant lapses in essential public services. The political exchange underscores the continued acrimony and blame game between the two major parties vying for political dominance in the capital.
