Punjab Opposition Accuses CM Bhagwant Mann of Being Drunk During Special Session on Labour Day

Key Points:

On May 1, 2026, the Punjab Legislative Assembly convened a special session on the occasion of Labour Day. While the session was intended to focus on issues concerning workers, it quickly turned into a political storm after opposition leaders accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of attending the House under the influence of alcohol. The allegation triggered heated exchanges and eventually led to a walkout by Congress legislators.

The controversy began during a heated exchange between Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and the Chief Minister. In the middle of the discussion, Khaira alleged that Mann was present in the Assembly under the influence of alcohol. The claim was soon backed by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, who demanded immediate action.

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“An honourable member has levelled a very serious charge and that too on the head of the state. If it is true, then it is a black day in democracy,” Bajwa said. He further requested that the doors of the House be closed and that an alcohol test be conducted on all members present.

As the situation escalated, Congress members staged a walkout from the Assembly and raised slogans against Mann, shouting “Sharabi Mukhyamantri Murdabad!” The Shiromani Akali Dal also criticised him, calling the alleged conduct “very shameful” and demanding that a dope test be conducted to establish the truth.

Responding to the chaos, Mann urged members to maintain decorum and avoid unnecessary arguments. The session had been convened by the Aam Aadmi Party government to honour labourers and artisans for their contribution to the state’s economy.

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This is not the first time such allegations have surfaced against the Chief Minister. In 2022, opposition leaders claimed that Mann was deboarded from a Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt for being intoxicated—an allegation the AAP had dismissed as “false propaganda.”

Following the incident, videos from the Assembly went viral on social media, drawing mixed reactions from users. One user wrote, “Thanks to such incompetent CM and a party of clowns. Punjab stand out with fiscal crisis and soaring Debt.” Another commented, “Punjab da cm full tull Nasha mukt punjab karna tha Khud nashe me nhi rehna tha Hadd hai.” A third user wrote in jest, “Alcohol Solves All Problems AAP.. Kejriwal dissolved in Alcohol in Delhi, Pegwant Mann just had his moment...in the assembly.”

[VP]

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