Rahul Gandhi’s ‘alcohol’ remark on Bhagwant Mann sharpens AAP-Congress tussle ahead of Punjab polls

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for what it described as “below-the-belt” remarks on Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, saying that such comments were unbecoming of a leader of his stature.As assembly elections near in Punjab, both parties have stepped up their attacks on each other. (ANI Photo)Responding to Gandhi’s allegation that Mann smelled of alcohol in Parliament, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj said that making accusations served no purpose and accused the Congress and the BJP of jointly targeting Punjab."Allegations of drug use have also been made against Rahul Gandhi. But making accusations doesn't achieve anything. I feel that at Rahul Gandhi's level, he really shouldn't be making such cheap comments," Bharadwaj said, news agency PTI reported.The attack comes before the Punjab assembly elections in 2027. Rahul Gandhi in PunjabThe attack comes after Gandhi, while addressing the party’s Insaaf Rally at Phaguwala village in Sangrur district, launched an all-out attack on the ruling AAP government over drugs, gangster violence and farmers’ issues.Gandhi also accused Mann of reeking of alcohol at 11 am in the morning and suggested that if he wants to fight drugs, he should not be intoxicated every morning."The AAP formed the government after people placed their trust in the party and Bhagwant Mann. What promise did it make? That it will end the drug menace in Punjab. I want to ask the AAP, from which corner of the state has it wiped out drugs?" Gandhi said."In Lok Sabha, he (Mann) used to crack jokes sitting with us. At 11 am, he smelled of alcohol. I am not saying Bhagwant Mann should not consume alcohol; it is his personal matter. But if you want to fight drugs, the chief minister can't get intoxicated every evening," the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha said.Bharadwaj slams BJP, CongressBharadwaj also questioned why Gandhi had not made similar remarks about chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh's Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand's Pushkar Singh Dhami."This kind of below-the-belt attack by Rahul Gandhi shows how low his politics has stooped. Whether it's the Bharatiya Janata Party or Congress, they have nothing to do with the five elections happening in five states. They've just made Punjab their joint target," he said, according to PTI.Also Read: Punjab: AAP a ‘sinking ship’, more leaders set to quit, says CongressThe AAP leader further accused the BJP and Congress of repeatedly targeting the AAP government and its leaders instead of raising issues in other poll-bound states."From morning till night, both parties are only focused on Punjab-- 'Bhagwant Mann did this, Bhagwant Mann did that. This happened in Punjab, that happened in Punjab. Today the ED is going to Punjab, tomorrow the CBI will go to Punjab. Today they'll catch this Punjab minister; today they'll catch this Punjab MLA.' Brother, why aren't these two parties fighting in the rest of the states? Why are they after Punjab? Because an Opposition party's chief minister is running the government in Punjab," he said.Congress vs AAPAs assembly elections near in Punjab, both parties have stepped up their attacks on each other. The Congress has largely accused the AAP of failing to fulfil its promises to tackle the drug menace and gangster violence, as well as address farmers’ issues.“People need a government that works for Punjab—not like AAP, which is run from Delhi,” said the leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha while addressing the party’s Insaaf Rally at Phaguwala village in Sangrur district.Gandhi said Punjab needed a government that was not being run from Delhi.“The Congress leader also said that people deserve a government that works for Punjab, "not like AAP, which is run from Delhi. We will run the government from the soil of Punjab, with neither the home minister nor a former chief minister of Delhi interfering," Gandhi said.Meanwhile, the AAP has maintained its distance from the INDIA bloc, largely led by Gandhi and said that the bloc had “no future” so long as the Congress led it.“[Congress] said on one hand that we would fight as an alliance and back each other, but behind the scenes [it] appears to be with the BJP,” AAP leader Somnath Bharti said in June this year after skipping a key INDIA bloc meet.Rift growsThe party formally quit the bloc in July 2025. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has repeatedly jibed that in Punjab and Delhi, “mothers could tell their children the shortest story: Once there used to be Congress”.Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who had made the announcement of AAP quitting the bloc, blamed the Congress for the AAP’s decision.“The AAP is not a part of the INDIA alliance, though we will continue to strongly raise public issues in Parliament, oppose the government whenever we believe it is in the wrong. We have always played the role of a strong opposition and will continue to do that. INDIA alliance should hold its meetings and take whatever decisions it wants to take,” Singh told reporters on Friday.Singh said the Congress failed to keep the Opposition united after 2024. The INDIA bloc had won 234 seats in the election, pushing the BJP to its lowest tally since 2014, although the party still emerged the single largest in the house and was able to achieve a majority with its alliance partners.