The newly ousted Delhi state leader Arvind Kejriwal was once touted as the "new moral force in Indian politics", who swore never to enjoy the trappings of power.
But a $6.2 million upgrade of the chief minister's official residence — all at the taxpayer's expense — has taken quite the shine off his honesty badge.
The house, located at 6 Flagstaff Road, Delhi, is so lavish that his political opponents have taken to mockingly calling it the "Glass Palace".
Some say it is more opulent than any five-star hotel in the city.
What makes it worse is that the construction of the house, with its French marble, gym and electronically operated curtains, started during the pandemic when the rest of Delhi was facing the nightmare of losing loved ones to COVID.
Last week, Mr Kejriwal's Aam Adami (common man's) Party (AAP) lost to Narendra Modi's BJP in the national capital, winning only 22 of the 70 seats.
Mr Modi's party, which regained power for the first time in 27 years, won 48 seats.
In a tweet, the Indian prime minister said it was a win for development and good governance.
So, how did it go wrong?
Mr Kejriwal, a former civil servant, burst upon the scene during the anti-corruption movement in 2012.
His party ruled Delhi for two terms from 2015, vowing to wipe out corruption and end "VIP culture".
Veteran Indian journalist Harsh Vardhan Tripathi said people had high hopes that Mr Kejriwal would wipe out corruption.
"People used to believe that he would bring honest politics," Tripathi said.
"The then-UPA [United Progressive Alliance] government had a lot of scams … people thought Kejriwal would bring change."
'Glass Palace' and broken promises
Mr Tripathi said Mr Kejriwal, fashioned himself as an anti-corruption champion and questioned the trappings of power enjoyed by most politicians in India.
"He used to say, 'Why does Sheila Dikshit [then Delhi chief minister ] have 12 air conditioners in her official residence?'" Mr Tripathi said.
""But now he has a jacuzzi.The house has marble flooring better than any five-star hotel in Delhi. No other state's chief minister has such an opulent house.
"India was hoping for honest politics but Kejriwal was dishonest with the concept of honest politics."
The official chief minister's residence, which Mr Kejriwal no longer occupies, is reported to have 75 Bose ceiling speakers and 50 indoor air conditioners, including in the toilets.
According to several Indian media reports, it boasts of curtains worth about $176,000, marble stone for walls for about $123,000, television sets worth $37,000, kitchen equipment at an estimated $71,000 and silk carpets worth $30,000.
The findings are based on the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's report, which said $3.5 million of the public funds were spent on "items of superior specifications, artistic, antique and ornamental items".
The two-storey house, spread over 1,950 square metres, also has a lift, seven servant quarters, eight bedrooms, three meeting rooms, two kitchens, and 12 bathrooms.
Initially, the house was estimated to be a $1.4 million build, but then the costs skyrocketed to $6.2 million.
'Real face exposed'
BJP's national spokesman Guru Prakash Paswan said Mr Kejriwal lost after the electorate found out the truth about him.
"The real face of Mr Kejriwal, which is heights of dual standards and hypocrisy, has been exposed in front of the people of Delhi," Dr Paswan said.
"Whatever he said, he did the opposite of it. He promised that he won't enter politics. He entered politics.
"He not only entered politics, but he also indulged in all forms of corruption, which is there to see for everyone."
Mr Kejriwal's party has not responded to ABC's questions.
Munne Bharti, a senior Indian journalist, said the AAP also alienated its Muslim vote bank with attempts to blame the community over the COVID outbreak.
Questions about national alliance
Even his friend-turned-foe, the Congress party, joined in to criticise Mr Kejriwal.
Despite contesting the 2024 federal election together, Congress and AAP failed to reach an agreement in Delhi.
India's oldest party, which failed to open its account, and won zero seats, took digs at Mr Kejriwal's opulent house.
The Congress Party's chief spokesman Pawan Khera said the brand Kejriwal was "over" in Delhi.
"People felt betrayed," he said.
"All those people who invested in him in terms of their vote, their support, people were emotionally invested in Mr Kejiwal In 2012-13, all those people felt absolutely cheated."
However, despite the mudslinging on both sides, Mr Khera says their alliance at the national level will "hopefully" continue as they both jostle to unseat Mr Modi from power in five years.
AAP's opponents say it also failed to fulfill its manifesto.
Mr Khera said the AAP also dealt in "transactional politics" of freebies but failed to deliver on key promises, including clearing up air pollution and the Yamuna River and a reliable water supply.
Will BJP fill voter expectations?
Now all those tasks have fallen upon the BJP to resolve.
Chandigarh University Professor Om Prakash Dwivedi, who specialises in post-colonial theory, said these issues were knotty and might be too difficult to solve.
"The pollution issue is a huge issue. Drinking water is hardly available in Delhi," he said.
"It requires conviction to translate policies into action. It is going to be difficult for anyone … it is not going to be solved in two or three years."
But Dr Paswan said the BJP had a history of delivering on its promises, pointing to fulfilling many promises on its national manifesto.
"If you do an analysis of our election manifestos, of the poll promises, we have a 100 per cent record of delivery," he said.
"And that is, in a way, responsible for our amazing performance in elections after elections. We are there for third time at the centre."
Mr Modi has said a "double-engine" government, with the same party in the federal and state levels will only benefit the people of Delhi.
So, who will live in this house?
Meanwhile, the future of the "Glass Palace" remains in doubt, with one newly elected BJP politician saying their yet-to-be nominated chief minister will not live in the house.
He said it should be turned into a museum.
Congress party's Mr Khera agrees.
"It belongs to the people of Delhi," he said.
"It should be a museum … or a hospital. Delhi needs more hospitals … but it can't be the chief minister's house."
