Political temperatures are soaring in Jharkhand as BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdev accuses Chief Minister Hemant Soren of emulating Arvind Kejriwal by constructing a Rs 100 crore glass palace at the CM’s official residence. Addressing the media on Friday, Shahdev revealed details of the contentious project, claiming it exposes the wide chasm between Soren’s rhetoric and reality.
The former heritage building at the CM House is being razed to make way for this grand edifice. Breakdown of costs includes Rs 47 crore for the primary building, Rs 2 crore for a decorative fountain, and Rs 2.63 crore for gardens, totaling over Rs 69 crore officially. Shahdev warned that standard escalations in public works could balloon it to Rs 100 crore or more. ‘This cabinet-approved scheme was deliberately downplayed in briefings,’ he alleged.
Shahdev drew a direct line to Kejriwal’s scandal. ‘Soren, like Kejriwal, masquerades as a man of the people – tribal leader, protector of the poor – yet splurges on personal luxury amid widespread deprivation.’ He lamented how, in a state plagued by poverty, the CM prioritizes grandeur over pressing needs.
The BJP leader raised valid concerns about redundancy. With a new Raj Bhavan and CM residence planned for the Smart City zone, this expenditure seems wasteful. ‘It’s a blatant misuse of taxpayer funds,’ Shahdev asserted, promising a vigorous campaign to highlight the issue.
As whispers of corruption and extravagance grow louder, the Soren government’s credibility faces a stern test. Will the CM address these charges head-on, or will silence fuel further speculation? Jharkhand’s political landscape braces for an intense battle of narratives.