NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks about Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's alleged alcohol consumption have triggered a war of words between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with both parties trading accusations ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Addressing the Congress's 'Insaaf Rally' at Phaguwala village in Sangrur district on Wednesday, Gandhi recalled his interactions with Mann when they were both members of Parliament. He alleged that Mann used to crack jokes during parliamentary proceedings and that he could smell alcohol on the chief minister's breath by 11 am.
Gandhi said he was not questioning Mann's personal choice to consume alcohol but argued that a chief minister leading a campaign against substance abuse should not be under the influence of alcohol.
The Congress leader also questioned the AAP government's promise to eliminate the drug menace in Punjab, asking what steps it had taken to fulfil the commitment. He identified 'chitta', a term commonly used for adulterated heroin, synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical substances as major concerns facing the state.
Gandhi accused the AAP government of failing to tackle drug abuse and gangster violence. He also alleged that the state government was being run from Delhi, with AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Union Home Minister Amit Shah influencing decisions in Punjab.
"Punjab is being run from Delhi," Gandhi alleged, calling for a government that would function independently from the state rather than under the influence of leaders based in the national capital.
He also raised concerns over farmers' issues, unemployment and the security situation in Punjab. Referring to the killing of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala in 2022, Gandhi questioned the state's law-and-order situation and recalled meeting the singer before his death
The AAP responded sharply to Gandhi's remarks, with its Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj calling the comments inappropriate and questioning the Congress leader's decision to make personal allegations.
Bharadwaj said allegations of drug use had also been made against Gandhi, arguing that exchanging personal accusations would not help address public concerns.
He also accused the Congress and the BJP of targeting Punjab politically and questioned why the two parties were focusing their criticism on the AAP government in the state.
The AAP described the Congress rally as directionless and accused Gandhi of failing to present a clear roadmap for Punjab's development. The party also criticised the Congress over its political record in the state.
The rally marked the beginning of the Congress's campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Sangrur is the home district of Chief Minister Mann, making the venue politically significant for the Congress's attack on the ruling party.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also addressed the gathering and criticised the AAP government over drug abuse, corruption and governance. He said a Congress government would focus on employment, farmers' welfare and tackling gangsterism.
The rally was attended by several senior Congress leaders, including party general secretary Sachin Pilot and Punjab Congress leaders.
The Congress and AAP, despite being part of the INDIA opposition bloc at the national level during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, remain political rivals in Punjab. AAP won 92 of the state's 117 Assembly seats in 2022, while the Congress secured 18.
With the next Assembly elections approaching, the latest exchange reflects the intensifying political contest between the two parties in the state.