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Heavy rains in Delhi led to waterlogging and a tragic death, sparking a political clash between BJP and AAP.
The sharp attack and counterattack underline continuing rancour between the BJP and the AAP. (File)
A political slugfest broke out between the ruling BJP and the AAP on Thursday after heavy rains in the national capital left several areas waterlogged, and the death of a man after he was crushed under a large tree that fell on him and his daughter in Kalkaji.
Visuals of inundated streets, collapsed trees, and residents wading through knee-deep water flooded social media, with AAP leaders accusing the government of “absolute lack of preparedness” and the BJP countering with attacks on AAP’s past governance record.
AAP Lambasts BJP Government
The AAP lambasted the BJP government for waterlogging in the national capital and questioned why the city’s roads had turned into “pools” and people were dying. Waterlogging, an annual issue during the monsoon, was a frequent target of the BJP during the previous AAP government.
AAP chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared a video of the Kalkaji tragedy and slammed the BJP for ‘what it has done to Delhi in just a few months…’
“In just a few months, what a mess the BJP folks have made of Delhi…” he said in a post on X.
मात्र चंद महीनों में बीजेपी वालों ने दिल्ली का क्या हाल कर दिया… https://t.co/R0ugRND5vx— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 14, 2025
His successor Atishi wrote a letter to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and demanded that PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma must be dismissed from the cabinet over a tree fall incident in Kalkaji in which a man was killed and his daughter was injured.
She also highlighted multiple incidents that have happened during the course of the monsoon season.
“This is not an ’act of nature’ — it is the result of the absolute lack of monsoon-related preparedness by your administration. Many more people have lost their lives in this year’s rains — each a preventable tragedy had there been foresight, infrastructure readiness, and decisive governance. Instead, Delhi’s citizens are forced to wade through waterlogged streets, navigate collapsing trees, and live in constant fear during every spell of rain,” she said.
Mismanagement by the 4-engine BJP Govt has not only submerged Delhi roads, but caused a water crisis in Kalkaji.The Giri Nagar pumping station is completely submerged. And the people of Giri Nagar, Kalkaji, Govindpuri and Govindpuri Extn are facing several days of water… pic.twitter.com/5dsOQNduVI
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) August 9, 2025
Atishi accused the Public Works Department of “failing to fulfil its most basic duty”.
“The PWD Minister Parvesh Verma must take moral responsibility and be removed from your Cabinet immediately. Nothing short of this will restore even a shred of public faith. The entire city is looking towards you to take action against those responsible for these deaths,” she said in the letter.
In her posts on X, Atishi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, shared videos of flooded roads and slammed the BJP’s ‘four-engine’ government – a reference to the party controlling the Delhi civic body, the city and federal governments, and the Lieutenant Governor.
Sharing a video of Chhattarpur in which cars were passing through a waterlogged stretch, Atishi said, “This is the condition of Chhatarpur. In just a short spell of rain, Delhi’s roads turn into ponds. Is this the ‘Proper Management’ of Delhi’s Chief Minister @gupta_rekha and PWD Minister @p_sahibsingh?”
ये लुटियंस दिल्ली में विशंभर दास रोड़ का हाल है।कुछ देर की बारिश में ही दिल्ली की सड़कें तालाब बन जाती हैं।
क्या ये है दिल्ली की मुख्यमंत्री @gupta_rekha और पीडब्ल्यूडी मंत्री @p_sahibsingh का ‘Proper Management’? pic.twitter.com/0YUGjIzPc5
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) August 14, 2025
She also shared videos of Patparganj, Subroto Park and Lutyens’ Delhi to highlight the impact of the incessant rainfall on the capital’s infrastructure.
BJP’s Response
The BJP quickly responded to AAP’s allegations with minister Kapil Mishra blaming the AAP for its “12-year loot”.
Calling Kejriwal a “shameless person,” Mishra said, “For 12 years, you looted and ruined Delhi, then fled to Punjab, and today you’re blaming the BJP for a tree falling Delhi will surely change, but this audacity to dance around with your own failure report card is only possible in AAP.”
वाह रे बेशरम12 साल दिल्ली को लूटा और बर्बाद करके पंजाब भाग गया और आज एक पेड़ गिरने पर भाजपा को दोष दे रहे हो
दिल्ली तो बदलेगी ही पर अपनी खुद की फैलियर के रिपोर्ट कार्ड को लेकर नाचने की ये निर्लज्जता केवल AAP में ही सम्भव है https://t.co/K5WtXaHRxn
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) August 14, 2025
What Happened In Kalkaji?
A biker was killed, while a four-wheeler vehicle was crushed after a tree was uprooted in Delhi’s Kalkaji area due to heavy rainfall on Thursday, and fell on multiple vehicles on the road.
Heavy rains lashed Delhi-NCR on Thursday, throwing life out of gear as waterlogged roads choked traffic movement and several underpasses were flooded in the national capital ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
Tree collapse incidents were reported in Laxmi Nagar and RK Puram Sector 9 as a result of heavy rainfall, adding to the woes of commuters.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had initially issued a yellow alert in the city for Thursday, but as rain activity intensified this morning, the alert was upgraded to red.
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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