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Bhagwant Mann says won’t drink from now, Arvind Kejriwal terms it ‘sacrifice’ for people

At Sangrur recently, an elderly man had gifted Mann a bottle of ghee.

Updated on: Jan 21, 2019, 08:14:28 IST
Hindustan Times, Barnala | By
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Having faced a lot of flak for his drinking habit, Sangrur MP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann on Sunday announced he was becoming a teetotaller for good while his party supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal termed his decision a “great sacrifice” for the people of Punjab and the country.

Lok Sabha MP Bhagwant Mann speaks to the media during the winter session in Parliament, in New Delhi on December 17, 2018. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)
Lok Sabha MP Bhagwant Mann speaks to the media during the winter session in Parliament, in New Delhi on December 17, 2018. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Addressing a rally at Barnala where Kejriwal said their party will contest from all 13 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Mann said, “I have taken a vow in the presence of my mother not to drink alcohol for good.”

At Sangrur recently, an elderly man had gifted Mann a bottle of ghee.

“The Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) coalition and the ruling Congress are in cahoots to malign my image by portraying me as a born drunkard. They have stooped to the level of showing old videos to defame me. It’s the only fault they find in me. Therefore, I have decided to quit drinking,” Mann said.

“When my mother heard my detractors passing nasty comments against me, she advised me to make another sacrifice by kicking the habit. Now, I want them to answer if they do not consume liquor at all,” Mann said.

Endorsing his decision, Kejriwal said, “No one has made sacrifices for Punjab as Bhagwant Mann has.”

  • Vishal Rambani
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Vishal Rambani

    Vishal Rambani is Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, covering Punjab's political, governance and public policy landscape. With more than two decades of journalistic experience, he has extensively reported on politics, power and energy, crime, bureaucracy, environment, urban development and socio-economic issues. His reporting combines ground-level coverage with data-driven and investigative journalism, producing impactful stories on governance, regulatory affairs, corruption, public finance, elections and infrastructure. Over the years, he has broken several exclusive stories involving enforcement agencies, the power sector, real estate, and state administration, earning recognition for incisive reporting, accuracy and in-depth analysis of Punjab's evolving political and administrative landscape.Read More