Punjab’s political landscape has entered a fresh phase of turbulence, with the registration of two non-bailable FIRs against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak coming days after a stormy Punjab Vidhan Sabha session that saw serious allegations against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
There are allegations that Sandeep Pathak harassed a woman from Ludhiana, while another case pertains to corruption. The controversy began during a special Assembly session on Labour Day, when opposition leaders accused the Chief Minister of attending proceedings in an “inebriated state”, triggering uproar inside the House and sharp political reactions across party lines. The allegations escalated further after Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa demanded an alco meter and dope test for all MLAs, alleging that the refusal to undergo such a test had “deepened public suspicion”.
While the ruling Aam Aadmi Party rejected the allegations as baseless and accused the opposition of lowering the dignity of the House, the controversy continued to dominate political discourse in the state.
Amid this backdrop, Punjab Police registered two FIRs under nonbailable sections against Pathak, who recently switched allegiance from AAP to the BJP. The timing of the FIRs has raised eyebrows, with opposition parties and political observers questioning whether the move is linked to the ongoing political confrontation.
Pathak, once considered a key strategist within AAP and a close aide of both Mann and party convener Arvind Kejriwal, had played a significant behind-the-scenes role in the party’s electoral successes, particularly in Punjab. His sudden shift to the BJP has been viewed as a major political setback for the ruling party.
Experts say the sequence of events—first the Assembly controversy and then the legal action—has added to perceptions of a deepening political crisis. “The proximity of these developments raises questions about intent. It creates an impression of political retaliation rather than routine legal process,” said a Chandigarh-based political analyst, Ramnik Mann.
Opposition leaders have gone further, alleging that the FIRs are an attempt to divert attention from the Assembly episode. They argue that instead of addressing concerns raised over the Chief Minister’s conduct, the focus has shifted to legal action against a former insider who has now turned critic.
The ruling party, however, maintains that the FIRs are based on due process and denies any political motive. Party leaders have accused the opposition of trying to create unnecessary controversy to derail governance.
The developments come at a time when Punjab politics is already witnessing heightened tensions following recent defections, legal battles, and confrontations between the treasury benches and the opposition.
With both sides hardening their positions, the situation is likely to intensify further in the coming days. The FIRs against Pathak and the unresolved questions around the Assembly controversy have together set the stage for a prolonged political confrontation, with each side accusing the other of undermining democratic norms. As the narrative sharpens, Punjab appears headed for a deeper political showdown, where legal action and political messaging are increasingly intersecting.
