Political parties in Punjab have upped personal attacks on their opponents ahead of the assembly elections.

In the most recent attack, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi called Aam Aadmi Party Chief Ministerial nominee Bhagwant Mann a “drunkard and ignorant.”

CM Channi stated Mann, the AAP’s chief minister candidate, took three years to complete his 12th Board examinations and questioned how the people could hand him command of Punjab.

“Bhagwant Mann is indeed an alcoholic and an incompetent.” He completed his 12th grade in three years. How can we give such a person command over Punjab?” Channi inquired during an electoral rally in Bathinda. Punjab Chief Minister Channi was campaigning for Manpreet Singh Badal, the contender for the Bathinda Urban seat.

Last Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi alleged that Bhagwant Mann had broken his commitment to abstain from alcohol.

Punjab elections will be placed place on February 20 to elect 117 members to the provincial Assembly. On March 10, the votes will be counted.

Bhagwant Mann’s “drinking” instances:

Bhagwant Mann, the AAP’s main ministerial candidate, was regarded in national politics as “Pegwant Mann” due to his alleged alcohol problem. The Lok Sabha MP of Sangrur has previously been chastised for his inappropriate behaviour.

From funerals to Parliament sessions, comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann has performed his antics while inebriated.

It all started when Bhagwant Mann’s colleagues accused him of appearing at Parliament after drinking alcohol. Former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said in 2015 that Mann was inebriated during Parliament sessions.

“Having initially learned about it in July 2014, when the AAP gathered all of its Lok Sabha candidates for a meeting.” Mann sat next to me and smelled strongly of alcohol. I told Arvind Kejriwal about it, and he nodded. “Around this time, I heard rumours that Mann was drinking and attending Lok Sabha sessions,” Yadav explained.

Mann was ordered to leave the platform at the bhog ceremony for the Faridkot shooting victims in October 2015 after Jagtar Singh, former granthi of Dabar Sahib, Amritsar, discovered him inebriated. The episode produced national embarrassment for the AAP.

A few months later, Mann was accused of being an alcoholic by then-Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

One week later, AAP leader Harinder Singh Khalsa wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, saying it is “torturous” to sit next to Mann, who “reeks of liquor.”

In August 2016, 3 more MPs wrote to the then-Speaker Mahajan’s nine-member committee on the same subject.

Mann had live-streamed his travel to Parliament and shared it on Facebook a month previously, causing indignation among other members of the House. Mann was accused of violating security by filming a video in and near Parliament. Mann was said to have been inebriated that day and had disclosed information on Parliament’s security equipment. Following the event, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan directed the AAP MP not to attend House sittings until a resolution was made.

Mann was also said to have arrived at Manmeet Alisher’s funeral inebriated in November 2016. Mann was asked to leave the premises by the family after misbehaving with them and the journalists present.

In 2018, Bhagwant Mann spoke at an electoral rally in Gol Diggi, Bhatinda. Mann couldn’t even stand up when it was his turn to talk. He was spotted sending flying kisses to the audience before fainting on the dais. He managed to rise and, after blowing some more flying kisses, he began speaking.