Arvind Kejriwal says he deserves a Nobel prize; BJP calls claim ‘laughable’; AAP fires back | India News

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva on Wednesday ridiculed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s recent comment that he deserves a Nobel Prize for governance, calling the remark “laughable” and claiming the former chief minister would be better suited for awards in “corruption” and “incompetence,” news agency PTI reported.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit back swiftly, urging the BJP to concentrate on delivery and administration in the national capital rather than indulging in “name-calling.”“Virendra Sachdeva is in government now. It’s 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,” said Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj in a statement.Kejriwal’s comments, made during the release of the Punjabi edition of the book Kejriwal Model in Chandigarh on Tuesday, praised the performance of his government in Delhi despite hurdles.“Despite being stopped from working, we delivered. I should get a Nobel Prize for governance and administration for doing so much despite a lieutenant governor and various difficulties,” he said.Reacting sharply, Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of presiding over a regime tainted with scams.“Kejriwal demanding a Nobel Prize is laughable. The people of Delhi are stunned. If there were Nobel Prizes for incompetence, anarchy, and corruption, he would have surely received one,” Sachdeva said.He cited alleged scams during Kejriwal’s tenure — including the controversial renovation of his official residence, dubbed the “Sheesh Mahal” by BJP, and other issues such as the classroom construction project, liquor policy, and pension schemes.Kejriwal, who served as Delhi chief minister from 2015 until September 2024, had defended his governance model at the Chandigarh event, claiming that it was rooted in honesty.“If a government is corrupt, if its ministers are looting, this model will collapse,” he said, adding that the AAP model had also shown results in Punjab.“Previous governments claimed the treasury was empty. But we fixed schools and hospitals, gave free electricity — because we curbed corruption and saved public money,” he added.Taking aim at the current BJP administration in Delhi, Kejriwal alleged that services had “collapsed” since the AAP exited office.Sachdeva countered that Delhi’s residents had not forgotten the “scams” that took place under AAP’s watch — citing issues like panic buttons in buses and mismanagement of welfare schemes for women.