Opposition leaders alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended a legislative assembly session while intoxicated on Friday [1].
The accusation targets the highest office in the state and suggests a breach of conduct that could lead to demands for the chief minister's removal if proven [2].
Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, along with AAP member Swati Maliwal, raised the issue during the session in Chandigarh [1, 2]. Maliwal said the chief minister arrived at the assembly drunk and demanded that he undergo an alcohol or dope test [2]. She said that if Mann is found guilty of such conduct, he should be removed from office [2].
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rejected the allegations [1]. Party representatives said the claims were baseless and that the chief minister was not under the influence of any substance during the proceedings [1].
The dispute centers on the behavior of the chief minister during the official session, a setting where legislative decorum is strictly mandated. Opposition members said the alleged intoxication reflects a level of misconduct that warrants immediate accountability [2].
AAP maintains that the accusations are an attempt to damage the reputation of the chief minister [2]. The party has consistently denied that any such incident occurred during the Friday session [1].
“Opposition leaders alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended a legislative assembly session while intoxicated”
This conflict underscores the intensifying political friction between the ruling AAP and opposition parties in Punjab. By calling for a medical test and suggesting removal from office, the opposition is attempting to frame the issue as a matter of governance and personal conduct rather than a standard policy disagreement.
