This is the second notice to AAP over its party office in two months (Press Trust of India photo)
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has received yet another notice to evacuate the bungalow it is using as its office at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg in central Delhi, just across the road where the BJP is building its new party headquarters. And AAP is mincing no words in who it thinks is behind the move.
AAP National Secretary Pankaj Gupta told reporters "It is astonishing that there is a conspiracy to cancel the allocation of the party office of a party in Delhi which has 66 out of 70 seats. This conspiracy is being formed by the party which had got only three seats in Delhi and that Bharatiya Janata Party has seven offices in Delhi."
"On the other side the Congress also has four offices in Delhi. These parties have made their offices in the bungalows received from BJP and Congress MPs from time to time but no action is being taken against them," he added.
This is the second notice to AAP in two months. In April, the Delhi government's Public Works Department has issued the notice to Mr Kejriwal, asking him to immediately vacate the bungalow at 206, Rouse Avenue, renamed as Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg.
"PWD officers are constantly sending notices to us to vacate the office space. It is surprising that the Delhi Government officials are being pressurised to work against the Chief Minister of Delhi and the Delhi Government, and BJP is doing it through the Lieutenant Governor," Mr Gupta alleged.
The allotment of the bungalow was cancelled by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal in early April after a three-member Shunglu Committee appointed by previous Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung questioned a Cabinet decision to allot government-owned Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg bungalow to AAP for use as its office.
Referring to land in Delhi not falling under the city government's purview, Shunglu committee in its report had mentioned: "Since land is a 'reserved' subject, this decision should be deemed null and void."
"AAP is a recognised party of Delhi and according to the Union Urban Development Ministry's policy, AAP should get 500 yards in Delhi for office, in addition to being a member of the four MPs in the Lok Sabha, we have 500 yards in the capital. The place should be for office," Mr Gupta said.
With inputs from agencies