Tensions flared in the Punjab Assembly during a special Labour Day session as the Opposition accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of attending the House in a drunk state.
The controversy erupted after a Congress MLA allegedly claimed that the chief minister had arrived in the Assembly under the influence of alcohol. Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa intensified the issue by demanding that all MLAs undergo an alcohol meter test. He said that since serious allegations had been made against the “head of the state,” every legislator should be tested to establish the truth.
The Shiromani Akali Dal also launched a sharp attack on the chief minister, releasing videos from the Assembly and levelling serious accusations. The party called it “very shameful” that Bhagwant Mann allegedly came to the Assembly after consuming alcohol on Labour Day. It asked the public to observe the chief minister’s behaviour in the House and strongly condemned his conduct.
The Akali Dal further demanded that Bhagwant Mann undergo a dope test in front of the people of Punjab to bring out the truth.
Responding to the uproar, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the special session was dedicated to Labour Day and urged all members to avoid arguments and maintain decorum in the House.
The AAP government has convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on the occasion of Labour Day on May 1 to pay homage to the working class of the state. Warring asked what purpose the special session will serve for labourers, when the government is “on the last leg of its tenure and that too crippled.”
The development to summon the session came days after the ruling AAP’s seven Rajya Sabha MPs, six of them from Punjab, quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the BJP.
– Ends
Published By:
Akshat Trivedi
Published On:
May 1, 2026 14:19 IST
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