Pawan Khera Challenges Arvind Kejriwal to Debate Over CAG Report on Excise Policy Losses

Congress leader accuses AAP of irregularities in Delhi’s excise policy, citing a ₹2,026 crore loss revealed in the CAG report ahead of the Assembly elections.

New Delhi, January 29: In a fiery political showdown ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Congress leader Pawan Khera has openly challenged AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to a public debate over the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that flagged ₹2,026 crore in revenue losses due to irregularities in Delhi’s excise policy.

The CAG report uncovered violations in pricing, lack of transparency, and failure to penalize license-related discrepancies, resulting in significant losses to the state exchequer. According to the findings:

🔹 ₹890 crore loss due to the government’s failure to re-tender surrendered liquor licenses.
🔹 ₹941 crore loss from exemptions granted to zonal license holders.

Khera Calls Out Kejriwal’s Silence

Accusing Kejriwal of hypocrisy, Khera questioned why the AAP chief—who previously criticized Congress over CAG reports—has remained silent on the findings against his own government.

“Has Arvind Kejriwal even read the CAG report? He used to roam around with fake CAG reports against us. Now, when there are multiple reports against him, why is he silent? Come and debate with us on these CAG findings and his black deeds,” Khera declared.

“He once claimed to be the face of honesty. Today, he has been exposed before the people,” Khera added, taking direct aim at Kejriwal’s anti-corruption stance.

Delhi Elections 2025: A High-Stakes Battle

With Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5 and vote counting on February 8, the political temperature is rising.

🔹 AAP has dominated Delhi politics in recent years, winning 67 out of 70 seats in 2015 and 62 seats in 2020.
🔹 Congress, once the ruling party for 15 consecutive years, failed to win a single seat in the last two elections.
🔹 BJP, despite a strong national presence, secured only 3 seats in 2015 and 8 seats in 2020.

Will Kejriwal Accept the Challenge?

With the CAG report sparking fresh controversy, political analysts believe that Kejriwal’s response—or lack thereof—could impact voter perception ahead of the crucial polls. Will the AAP leader engage in a public debate or maintain silence on the allegations? The coming days will reveal whether this political face-off takes center stage in the final stretch of Delhi’s electoral battle.