Was CM Bhagwant Mann Deplaned For Being “Too Drunk”?

In what could be a major embarrassment for the AAP government in Punjab, reports of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann being deplaned from a Delhi-bound flight at the Frankfurt airport as he was “drunk”, emerged today morning.

 As per an eyewitness account reported in The Hindu, “A person donning a white kurta-pyjama and resembling Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann entered the aircraft along with other passengers... after some time four or five of them left the aircraft”.

 The officials at the State government confirmed that Mann failed to take the scheduled flight and returned in the cab sent by the Indian consulate. The scheduled flight, meanwhile, was delayed for three hours, for various reasons, including a heated exchange between some passengers and the cabin crew, as per eyewitness account.

 The opposition was quick to attack the Punjab CM and accused him of bringing national shame with his antics.

 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal tweeted, “Disturbing media reports quoting co-passengers say Pb CM @BhagwantMann was deplaned from Lufthansa flight as he was too drunk to walk. And it led to a 4-hour flight delay. He missed AAP's national convention. These reports have embarrassed & shamed Punjabis all over the globe.”

 Congress leader and Leader of Opposition of Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Badal sought an inquiry into the matter. He said if the reports about deplaning of Mann were right, it would be an embarrassment for the whole nation.

 However, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang called the allegations baseless and bogus, and accused the rival parties of indulging in a negative propaganda to defame the chief minister.

 Recently, Mann quoted another controversy after he announced that Germany’s auto giant, BMW would be setting up its auto part manufacturing unit in Punjab. The company, however, denied having any such plans.

 Mann has frequently faced questions from his critics over suitability for top job given his reported challenge with seeking solace in liquor. In number of occasions, he has been caught on camera in an inebriated state. The Punjab CM, however, continues to find favour within his party, despite his very public shenanigans.

(with inputs from PTI)