Opposition parties in Punjab alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was drunk during a session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha [1].
The accusations signal a deepening rift between the state government and its critics, highlighting tensions over the conduct of leadership within the legislative assembly.
Members of the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) parties raised the issue during assembly proceedings. The opposition members said that the chief minister appeared intoxicated while presiding over the house [1]. These parties called for an immediate alcohol and drug test for Mann to verify the claims [1].
The demand for testing was not limited to the chief minister. Opposition leaders also called for similar screenings for other members of the legislative assembly [1]. This move was framed as a demand for accountability, and transparency regarding the fitness of officials serving in the state's highest legislative body.
The confrontation centered on the behavior of the chief minister during the session. Opposition parties sought to hold Mann accountable for his perceived state of intoxication, arguing that such behavior is unfit for the office of the chief minister [1].
While the opposition pushed for medical verification, the session remained focused on the validity of these allegations. The parties involved said that a formal test is the only way to resolve the dispute over the chief minister's condition during the assembly meeting [1].
“Opposition parties alleged that CM Mann was drunk in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.”
This clash reflects the high-intensity political friction in Punjab, where opposition parties use behavioral allegations to challenge the moral and professional authority of the chief minister. By demanding medical tests for both the CM and other MLAs, the opposition is attempting to set a precedent for physical and mental fitness standards within the Vidhan Sabha.
