BJP Rejects AAP’s Allegations Over Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s Husband’s Role in Governance

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday dismissed allegations by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s husband was influencing the governance of the national capital.

BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya countered the charges by alleging that it was Sunita Kejriwal, wife of former CM Arvind Kejriwal, who had directed officials to carry out “illegal orders” during the AAP government’s tenure. “The Aam Aadmi Party should find something more substantive to target Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. She was holding a review meeting of her constituency, which is managed by her husband—just as Smt. Sheila Dikshit’s constituency was managed by her sister Rama Dhawan, and Sunita Kejriwal used to look after Arvind Kejriwal’s. Unlike Sunita Kejriwal, however, the CM’s husband was not sitting on her chair or issuing illegal orders that senior officers were forced to record on file as ‘CM Madam has directed,’” Malviya said.

He further added: “Stop targeting Rekha Gupta just because she is a woman doing a good job and making Arvind Kejriwal look more ordinary with each passing day.”

The controversy erupted after AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bhardwaj demanded clarity on the role of Rekha Gupta’s husband in running the government. “Rekha Gupta has taken the oath of the Constitution, the oath of confidentiality. No law of the country permits her to include her husband in government meetings. But we have seen that her husband is attending meetings with her, conducting inspections, giving instructions to officers,” Bhardwaj alleged.

He further questioned: “How can a businessman run the government or have a stake in governance? This is completely unethical and unconstitutional. My question to the BJP is, what official position does Rekha Gupta’s husband hold?”

On Sunday, AAP escalated the row by posting a purported photograph from a meeting showing Manish Gupta, the Chief Minister’s husband, seated alongside her. The party mocked the administration by comparing it to the fictional Phulera Panchayat.