Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Faces Allegations of Intoxication in Assembly Amid Rising Debt and Governance Crisis

Critics argue that Mann, whom they describe as an “illiterate and uncivilized” former comedy performer, lacks the education necessary to provide effective leadership.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | May 1, 2026

NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has sparked a fresh political firestorm after opposition leaders accused him of arriving at the legislative assembly while under the influence of alcohol on Friday (May 1).

The Leader of Opposition (LoP), Partap Singh Bajwa, reacted to the incident by demanding immediate alco-meter and dope tests for the Chief Minister and all MLAs during the ongoing session. Joining the criticism, BJP MP Swati Maliwal—who recently left the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)—shared a clip of Mann addressing the assembly and called for his removal if he fails an alcohol test.

Maliwal leveled several serious allegations against the Chief Minister, claiming he is “intoxicated all the time” and has been known to attend government meetings, religious sites, and the Lok Sabha while drunk. She specifically highlighted concerns that Mann may be signing official state files while intoxicated, calling the situation a “shame” for a sensitive border state.

This controversy follows previous reports from 2022, where Mann was allegedly deplaned from a Delhi-bound flight at Frankfurt airport for being drunk, a charge the AAP has consistently denied as baseless.

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Broader Concerns Over State Decline

The allegations regarding Mann’s personal conduct come amid scathing critiques of his overall governance. Critics argue that Mann, whom they describe as an “illiterate and uncivilized” former comedy performer, lacks the education necessary to provide effective leadership. Under his four-year tenure, Punjab has seen its debt soar to over Rs 4 lakh crore.

This financial instability is reportedly accompanied by a surge in:

• Government corruption and unemployment.
• A “lethal drug trade” and rising religious fundamentalism.
• A massive exodus of youth from the state.

The political climate in Punjab remains highly charged as the opposition prepares for the 2027 Assembly elections, with some groups claiming the public is waiting to save the state from what they describe as “AAP corrupt forces”. This latest assembly incident further intensifies the scrutiny on the Chief Minister’s ability to lead as the state faces significant economic and social challenges.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.