Why is Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann trending?

A fresh blame-game has erupted between AAP and Opposition in Punjab in the wake of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's return trip from Germany.

Speculation is rife that the CM on his way back to India was deplaned from a Lufthansa flight for allegedly being too drunk.

His office denied the reports saying the said flight left later than planned because of "a delayed inbound flight and aircraft change"

A website named Indiannarrative.com quoted an Indian co-passenger on the same flight who claimed that the Chief Minister was not steady on his feet as he had consumed excessive alchohol and had to be supported by his wife and security personnel.

Soon after the purported report gained traction, Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal took to Twitter saying Mann "embarassed and shamed Punjabis all over the globe."

The passenger, as per the report, also claimed that the flight was delayed by over 4 hours and Punjab government officials tried to prevail upon the Lufthansa flight crew not to deplane the Chief Minister due to his packed schedule on the following day. The airline, however, refused to compromised on their flight rules, the passenger added.

As per Luthansa's updated schedule, the flight took off about 4 hours late from its scheduled departure. It was scheduled to depart at 1:40 pm on September 17 and land in Delhi at 12.55 am. However, the Frankfurt flight left at 5.52 pm and landed at about 4:30 am in Delhi on September 18.

Responding to the developments, Delhi Congress also accused the former MP of being 'heavily drunk'

Meanwhile, NDTV quoted the airlines for a statement in which it outlined that the Frankfurt to Delhi flight departed later than originally planned to due to a delayed inbound flight and aircraft change.

AAP spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang called the social media reports propaganda adding that the Opposition is rattled because Mann was successively getting investments from his foreign trip.

The CM who was on an investment trip in Germany from September 11-18 , has had a story of repeated appearnces in inebriated state. During the run-up to the state assembly polls, he had vowed to quit drinking too.