Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The ongoing conflict between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Saxena has taken a new turn with allegations over a ₹1.5-crore annual expenditure on a social media agency hired by the LG’s office. The AAP claims this spending is an unnecessary burden on taxpayers to “boost his image.”
Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the need for such a substantial expenditure, particularly for a position he described as “ornamental.” Bharadwaj pointed out, “Delhi has had many lieutenant governors, but we have never seen someone paying an agency ₹1.5 crore a year to manage his social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, and X.”
He further criticized Saxena, suggesting the social media efforts have not improved his popularity. “He has been active on social media for two years but he does not get any retweets. He is not liked by people, so he is not popular. What is the point of doing this before the elections?” Bharadwaj added, insinuating that the LG might be using his position for political gains ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, expected before February next year.
In response, sources from the LG’s office dismissed the accusations, defending the hiring of a social media agency as a normal practice. They also pointed to AAP’s own spending, alleging that the party has used ₹3,000 crore on advertising, and questioned the legitimacy of AAP’s criticism. “We don’t even know if the money spent by the party has come from foreign sources or taxpayers. What is wrong with what the lieutenant governor has done? The AAP is the last party that should talk about spending money on social media or advertising,” a source from the LG’s office commented.
This dispute adds to a series of clashes between the AAP and the LG’s office. Just last week, AAP accused Saxena of inaction over a reported 30% shortage of doctors and specialists at several Delhi hospitals, a claim made by Bharadwaj in his capacity as health minister. The LG Secretariat fired back, criticizing Bharadwaj’s management of his ministerial responsibilities and suggesting his recent criticisms are aimed at retaining his ministerial position.
As tensions escalate, the political environment in Delhi is heating up, with both sides accusing each other of misusing resources and failing in their duties.
