Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
High drama unfolded in the Punjab Legislative Assembly on Thursday as heated exchanges between treasury and opposition benches led to chaos inside the House. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann turned visibly emotional during the proceedings, accusing opposition leaders of making derogatory remarks about his daughter.
The developments come amid political turbulence following reports that six Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab have quit their party and joined the BJP. In response, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is likely to bring a trust vote in the Assembly to test the loyalty of its 94 MLAs through a floor test.
According to sources, Punjab AAP president and Cabinet minister Aman Arora is expected to move the confidence motion. The Assembly session, convened on the occasion of International Workers' Day, was already underway when tensions escalated.
During the session, CM Mann objected to Congress MLAs allegedly using mobile phones inside the House, triggering a verbal spat between AAP and Congress legislators. Addressing the opposition, Mann urged them not to boycott the session and assured that all their questions would be taken up in an extended monsoon session if needed.
The situation further deteriorated over a dispute regarding the sitting posture of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. AAP legislators objected to him sitting with crossed legs, calling it inappropriate inside the Assembly. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan also asked Khaira to maintain decorum, but the issue soon snowballed into a heated argument.
Amid the chaos, an emotional CM Mann remarked that such behavior disrespects the dignity of the House and accused Khaira of making personal remarks about his family. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that the opposition repeatedly tries to disrupt proceedings.
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar claimed in Chandigarh that during a pre-session Cabinet meeting, two ministers and the Chief Secretary were allegedly humiliated. However, he did not name those involved, and there has been no official response from the government or AAP so far.
Adding to the political heat, the BJP held a parallel assembly session in Chandigarh, while Congress leaders staged protests outside, intensifying the confrontation beyond the Assembly premises.
