AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal praises party MP Bhagwant Mann for quitting drinking
Kejriwal said Mann had won his heart and that of the people of Punjab.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal praised party leader Bhagwant Mann for his announcement on Sunday that he had quit drinking alcohol.
“My political opponents often level accusations against me, saying ‘Bhagwant Mann drinks too much and is drunk day and night’,” the MP from Punjab’s Sangrur said at a rally in Barnala, according to PTI. “Brothers, it always pained me when I saw old videos of myself on social media where I was being defamed.”
Mann said he had quit drinking on January 1 on his mother’s advice.
Mann said he was accused of being an alcoholic and old videos of him drunk were used to damage his reputation, reported The Indian Express. “I accept I used to drink a bit,” he said. “But now I have made a public announcement and no one can accuse me of this anymore.”
Kejriwal praised Mann for his promise. “Friends, Bhagwant Mann has won my heart,” Kejriwal said at a rally. “Not only mine, he also won the hearts of the entire Punjab. Every leader should be like him and be ready to make any kind of sacrifice for the people. It is not a small thing to make such a big commitment. He says he will not touch liquor. It is a very big thing.”
Kejriwal questioned how many people would be willing to quit drinking for Punjab and the country. “I am proud to say that Bhagwant Mann is a tall leader of AAP from Punjab,” he said.
In 2016, former AAP leader Harinder Singh Khalsa had requested Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for a change in seat, alleging that Mann was drunk while attending the Parliament.
Kejriwal claimed that Punjab was “sinking” because of drugs and blamed former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal for the drugs in the state.
Kejriwal also launched his party’s Lok Sabha campaign in Punjab. “We will contest all 13 seats in Punjab,” he said. “There will be no alliance with the Congress in Delhi or in Punjab.”