Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Alcohol’ Remark on Bhagwant Mann Sparks Fresh AAP-Congress Row Ahead of Punjab Polls

November 5, 2026

Chandigarh: The political conflict between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress has intensified ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The AAP has expressed strong displeasure over Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s “alcohol” comment on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The AAP described Rahul Gandhi’s statement as “low-level politics” and said that such a high-ranking leader should not make such personal comments.

AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bhardwaj targeted Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress and BJP are jointly targeting Punjab. He said that Rahul Gandhi has also been accused of drug-related allegations, but such accusations serve no purpose.

What did Rahul Gandhi say about Bhagwant Mann?

In fact, Rahul Gandhi, while addressing the Congress’s “Insaf Rally” in Faguwala village of Sangrur district, targeted the AAP government in Punjab. He attacked the Bhagwant Mann government over the drug problem, gangster violence, and farmers’ issues in the state.

Rahul Gandhi claimed that when Bhagwant Mann sat with him in the Lok Sabha, he would joke around and that his breath smelled of alcohol even at 11 a.m. He said that drinking alcohol is a personal matter, but if the Chief Minister wants to fight against drug abuse, he should not be under the influence himself.

Rahul Gandhi questioned the AAP government, stating that the party had promised to eradicate the drug problem from Punjab, but in which part of the state has the drug trade been eradicated?

Saurabh Bhardwaj targeted the Congress and BJP

Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, Saurabh Bhardwaj said that such personal attacks are unbecoming of a leader like Rahul Gandhi. He questioned why Rahul Gandhi hadn’t made similar comments about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Bhardwaj alleged that both the BJP and Congress are focused on Punjab. He said that both parties are targeting the Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leaders, while such politics is not being played out in other election-related states.

He also alleged that the Punjab government and its leaders are being targeted, sometimes through actions by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and sometimes by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to him, this is happening because the opposition party is in power in Punjab.

Growing Rift Between AAP and Congress in Punjab

As the assembly elections in Punjab approach, accusations and counter-accusations between the Congress and AAP have intensified. The Congress has consistently accused the AAP government of failing to address the drug problem, gangster violence, and farmer issues.

Rahul Gandhi said at his rally that Punjab needs a government that works for the people of the state, not one run from Delhi. He alleged that Delhi leaders interfere in the decisions of the AAP government. He said that if Congress comes to power, the Punjab government will be run from Punjab’s soil, and there will be no interference from the Delhi Home Minister or any former Chief Minister.

AAP has withdrawn from the INDIA alliance

The growing tension between the Congress and AAP has also affected the opposition INDIA alliance. AAP formally withdrew from the alliance in July 2025. Party leader Sanjay Singh blamed Congress for this, saying that Congress failed to keep the opposition united after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Sanjay Singh clarified that AAP is not part of the INDIA alliance, but will continue to raise public issues in Parliament and oppose the government’s wrong policies.

Earlier, AAP leader Somnath Bharti had also accused Congress of working in collusion with the BJP. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has repeatedly criticized the Congress. Rahul Gandhi’s latest remarks ahead of the Punjab elections have further escalated the political tension between the two parties.