Haryana Chief Minister Attacks Bhagwant Mann Over Alleged Drinking Habit

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's alleged drinking habit has become a fresh political flashpoint, with both Congress and the BJP targeting him over the issue. After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised the allegation at a rally in Sangrur, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has taken a further swipe at Mann, appealing to Punjab's people to help him give up alcohol.

"Mann sahab ki daaroo chhurwao, tabhi nasha khatam ho sakta hai (make him quit drinking, then maybe the addiction can end)," Saini said, taking a dig at the Punjab Chief Minister while referring to the state's battle against drugs. 

At the November 4 rally, recalling his days in Parliament with Mann, Rahul Gandhi had said, "11 baje bhi unke muh se sharab ki badbu aati thi (Even at 11 am, there was the whiff of alcohol on his breath)." 

"I'm not saying Bhagwant Mann should quit drinking. That is his personal issue. But if the fight is against addiction, then the Chief Minister cannot be an addict," Gandhi had added.

Saini had earlier backed Gandhi's remarks, calling them "absolutely true" and recalling that Mann and Gandhi used to sit together in the Lok Sabha when they were part of the INDIA alliance. His latest statement has intensified the political attack on Mann.

The remarks have also put AAP on the defensive. The party has described Rahul Gandhi's comments as a below-the-belt personal attack, accusing the Congress and BJP of joining hands to target Mann. 

With the 2027 Punjab assembly elections approaching, the controversy has added a personal dimension to the opposition's broader criticism of the AAP government's handling of drugs and law and order in the state.