Rahul Gandhi lacks leadership quality: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhgawant Mann on Sunday attacked the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha — Rahul Gandhi — saying he is not cut out to be a leader.

“He doesn’t have that quality. God has not given him that. Why you are pushing him to become a leader? It’s not like a family fiefdom that after father his son takes charge. Please leave him. Poor guy! He is very sad about where he has got stuck,” the CM said.

Questioning Gandhi’s leadership skills, Mann told a private news channel that the Congress leader always skipped Parliament whenever an important House session came up for the country.

“He sometimes goes to Italy, to his grandmother and maternal uncle. Whenever there is an important session, he sits in America. Isn’t it?” the CM said. Mann also drew a parallel between the launching of space mission Chandrayan and Gandhi’s political journey, saying while the space shuttle was launched quickly, Rahul’s career is yet to take off.

The Congress leader’s criticism has come as the party has mounted its attack on Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party as part of a strategy to return to power in the state in the 2027 Assembly poll.

Congress Lok Sabha MPs from Punjab have in recent days tried to corner AAP over the crackdown on farmers who were protesting against the Centre at the state’s borders with Haryana.

Gandhi had met his party MPs outside Parliament during their protest. Both parties are part of the Opposition’s INDIA bloc. While both had come together to contest the Lok Sabha poll in Delhi last year, their alliance fell off in subsequent Assembly polls in Haryana and Delhi.

CM seeks people’s support in war against narcotics

Chandigarh: The CM sought active support from people in transforming the war against drugs into a mass movement. In an audio message, he said “The government had issued a WhatsApp helpline (9779100200) for seeking support of the people in that endeavour.”