This follows Rahul Gandhi's Sangrur Insaaf Rally speech on 4 November, where he made the original 'alcohol' allegation about Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Read the earlier report

Chandigarh — Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday (November 6) backed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'alcohol' remark about Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, calling it "absolutely true", and separately accused the Mann government of spending central funds meant for farmers on something else. Both are Saini's own claims; Gandhi's original allegation also remains independently unestablished.

Backing on the alcohol remark

According to ANI, Saini told a press conference, "He is completely right about that. Rahul Gandhi and Mann Sahab used to sit together (in Lok Sabha) as they were part of the INDI alliance." Saini also cited an old incident involving former Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher — in his telling, she had stood up in protest and asked for her seat to be changed. That anecdote is Saini's account and has not been independently confirmed.

The farmer-funds allegation — the new claim

In a second ANI report, after releasing direct digital transfers of monthly assistance under state welfare schemes, Saini alleged that the Punjab government "took funds meant for farmers and spent them on something else". He claimed farmers in Haryana are paid for procured crops within 48 to 72 hours, with interest if payment is delayed beyond that, while in Punjab — by his account — the money takes "perhaps two or three months" to reach farmers. Saini said the Prime Minister had provided Rs 1,600 crore to Punjab; he further alleged that Punjab farmers had told him compensation cheques were handed over for photo opportunities and taken back later, and that Punjab had denied permission when Haryana offered to send medicines and veterinarians to treat livestock during a natural disaster. All of these are Saini's allegations, which Awaaz Punjab has not independently verified; the reports carried no AAP response specific to Saini.

Debate challenge and the women's-promise question

According to National Times Media, during the same interaction at Haryana Niwas in Chandigarh, Saini challenged Rahul Gandhi to come to Haryana for a debate — offering a face-off with the state BJP Yuva Morcha president — and told the Congress to approach the Election Commission or the courts over its 'vote theft'/SIR claims. He also asked why the AAP government had not delivered its promised Rs 1,000 a month to women during most of its term and was raising the transfer only as the next election approached.

Background

At the Congress 'Insaaf Rally' in Sangrur on November 4, Rahul Gandhi alleged that Mann used to smell of alcohol in Parliament by 11 am and that the promise to end drugs had not been fulfilled — as Awaaz Punjab has already reported. AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj called the remarks a "below-the-belt attack" and accused the Congress and the BJP of jointly targeting Punjab. Saini — the BJP chief minister of the neighbouring state — now joining the same line sharpens the three-cornered fight over drugs and farmer payments ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Saini also said his government had fulfilled 76 key manifesto pledges, and that Rs 222.52 crore had been deposited to women beneficiaries as the 13th instalment of the Deendayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana.