Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini attacks Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has launched a scathing attack on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his alleged alcohol habit. According to an NDTV report, Saini appealed to the people of Punjab to help Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann quit drinking. This controversy emerged after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made serious allegations regarding this matter during a rally held in Sangrur.

Referring to the ongoing fight against drugs in Punjab, Nayab Singh Saini remarked sarcastically, "Help Mann Sahab quit alcohol, only then can intoxication be ended." Saini completely endorsed the comments previously made by Rahul Gandhi. He reminded that when Bhagwant Mann and Rahul Gandhi were part of the INDIA alliance, they used to sit together in the Lok Sabha. Saini's recent statement has intensified the political attacks on Bhagwant Mann.

The entire controversy began with a rally held in Sangrur on November 4. Recalling the days spent with Mann in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said, "Even at 11 o'clock, there was a smell of alcohol from his mouth." Rahul Gandhi further added, "I am not saying that Bhagwant Mann should stop drinking, that is his personal matter. But if the fight is against addiction, then the Chief Minister himself cannot be an addict."

Following these allegations, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has gone into a defensive mode. The party has termed Rahul Gandhi's comments as 'below the belt', describing them as a personal attack beyond limits. The Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that both the Congress and BJP parties have joined hands to target Bhagwant Mann. According to the party, there is a secret understanding between these two parties and they are jointly attacking the Chief Minister.

As the 2027 assembly elections in Punjab approach, this controversy has increased the political heat. The opposition was already criticising the Aam Aadmi Party government over alleged failures regarding drugs and law and order in the state, but this issue has now taken a personal turn. Both Congress and BJP have increased pressure on Bhagwant Mann by making this a primary issue.

It remains to be seen how this sequence of events will affect the relationship between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party at the national level, as both parties were previously together in an alliance but are now attacking each other sharply. These allegations regarding the Punjab Chief Minister's lifestyle and addiction have given a new turn to the state's politics.