3 min readNew DelhiJul 6, 2026 03:52 PM IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday publicly praised BJP president Nitin Nabin in a seeming response to former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘who are you?’ jibe directed at the BJP chief.
Sharing two posts from journalist Piyush Padmakar, Nabin’s former roommate during his academic years, which detailed how he boarded with three other friends while studying in Delhi and depended on public buses to attend college, PM Modi praised Nabin for his “simplicity and openness”.
“This simplicity and openness is a matter of pride for each BJP karyakarta,” the PM said in a post on X.
Refusing to back down, the former Delhi CM responded to the PM. “Thank you for providing information about Nitin ji. Prime Minister ji, the entire country wants to know why those involved in the theft at Shri Ram Mandir, the land scam, and siphoning off commissions in the construction are being protected. When will they receive strict punishment?” Kejriwal posted.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief had triggered a political row Sunday after he asked Nabin “who” he was, quoting his statement from an organisational event in Lucknow. The BJP chief had accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Kejriwal of keeping mum on ‘anti-Hindu’ statements.
Kejriwal’s question triggered an attack from BJP leaders, including Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and others.
Gupta sought to introduce Nabin by citing his political career from Bihar’s Bankipur to the capital. “Everyone knows you’re feeling desperate and disheartened. But it seems your ego is still riding high in the seventh heaven! By the way, Mamata ji once asked too, ‘Who is this Amit Shah?’ Time answers every question. Even Ravana’s arrogance couldn’t hold; who are you to think yours will?” she posted.
Story continues below this ad
Meanwhile, ex-Kejriwal aide Swati Maliwal accused him of being the behind-the-scenes “Super CM” of the Punjab government. “From behind the curtain, you’ve seized control of the entire government, and under your government’s watch, Punjab is rife with rampant corruption, crime, and drugs…”
Defending Nabin, she added, “Through years of hard work, they’ve (Nabin) journeyed from worker to president. In your party, you are the president, you are the government, you are the super CM… This much arrogance is not good; it broke first in Delhi, now it will break in Punjab.”