Misuse of power allegedly by unreined party high command and its local leaders put Mann in a tough situation.
Raghbir Singh Brar
Faridkot
May 1,2026
Email:raghbirsinghbrar@gmail.com
What has happened in Vidhan Sabha Punjab during a special session on May 1 is very unfortunate.The Leader of Opposition leveled serious allegations against Punjab Chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann that he had consumed alcohol and demanded his breath analyser or dope test of all the MLAs,which was rejected by the speaker.
“If Bhagwant Mann really consumed alcohol and addressed the Vidhan Sabha session today,it is really condemnable.He is the CM of Punjab and as for as his daily life is concerned,it is not private.But on the other hand,AAP government led by Bhagwant Singh Mann has done a lot for the public.The canal water is regular,600 units of power are free to each household and power supply to the agriculture sector is being provided by day.I have toured some districts and saw that new roads are being built by upgrading the old ones.Our road from village Panjgrain to Aulakh to Kot Sukhia was broken for many years.But it has been construed now,” said Balwinder Singh Aulakh, a man from village Aulakh under Jaitu assembly segment.
“As captain Amarinder Singh had ensured good procurement of crops and then passed the Punjab Termination Of river sharing waters and was given the second chance by the electorate of Punjab,Mann has also done much work.But as captain Singh was disciplined and due to many other reason, he was not exposed in Public while Mann has been.It has dented his image,” said Balwinder.
“The AAP government only exploits the special days.Now it has tried to exploit the International May day today.But actually it has done little for the labour classes.What drama unfolded in the assembly today that Mann had allegedly consumed alcohol is very shameful.If the CM addresses the house by consuming liquor,it is sad day in the history,” said Darshan Singh Dhilwan,Halqa Incharge of congress party of Jaitu(reserved constituency).
About free power, he said that it was already free to the reserved categories and claimed that AAP government had failed to compensate the farmers and labour for the crop loss as per its promises.”Former chief minsiter Charanjeet Singh Channi and captain Amarinder Singh had done much more for the people of Punjab,’ Darshan Singh claimed.
Rajesh Kumar Kakkar said that the Bhagwant Mann government is the first one which has ended the discrimination between the backwards sections of society and so called general category,which are so weeker economically and are close to them.
“After decades,We have got 600 units of free power for two months.If we use it economically, we get all the free power which translates that I am getting Rs 36000 of free power supply annually.Besides,Mann government has finished the corruption in the appointments in government jobs.The job aspirants from the general and reserved category are selected on merit which was not possible earlier,” said Rajesh Kumar Kakkar from village Bir Sikhan wala.
“Besdies it, farmers are getting agriculture supply regularly and by day.Earlier, they used to get it mostly at nights and failed to use it.The canal water is also regular,” said Rajesh who has long been in his association with the AAP.
“Though the government has been taking more and more loans, yet the previous governments also used to take it,” said Balwinder Aulakh.
“Mann has allegedly only flaw in his character of allegedly being alcoholic.It means he has no other serious charges of corruption or other scams against him and that is why opposition only find this allegegation to corner his off,’ said Jaswinder Singh, a man from village Ghania of Faridkot district.
“Mann is a good man, but he is allegedly surrounded by the corrupt high command and lower rung leaders.Whatever he wanted to do, was not allowed to do freely,’ said Devinder Singh, a resident of Faridkot village.
“When we watch some interviews on the you tube channels, some of the opposition leaders seems to be totally frustrated.If Mann has got divorce,it is his family matter.If he has got married to a woman much younger than his age, it is also his private life.For the drug abuse,the critics also must look within themselves as well,’ said another man.
Being very influential and belonging to the royal family,nobody dared to level such allegations against Captain Singh.
But it can not be denied that regular canal water, power supply to the agriculture sector during the day,trying to put some systems on line and ending corruption,600 units of free power to everybody have been really acknowledged by most of the people.
“Drugs are another issue.There is a deep rooted nexus between the police,bureaucracy and politicians,’ said Balwinder Aulakh.
“Earlier,our general category people did not get any scholarship, but the Bhagwant Mann government has promised to pay our women Rs 1000,” said Rajesh Kakkar.
But on the other hand,the Bhagwant Mann government has failed on many fronts,allegedly breaking the backbone of so called mafias,which are still there and some old models of minting money in the system have been adopted by its own people.
“Anti sacrilege act passed by Bhagwant Mann also carries weight,”said Chamkaur Singh Sekhon, a retired lecturer.
“There is so much interference from Delhi in each and every matter that it has spoiled all the prospectus of the AAP government coming into power again,’ said a man who has been closely associated with the party.
But one thing is there for sure,Mann’s arrival on the political stage ended a monopoly of two party system in the state and frustration of those two parties is writ large on the face of their leaders.