CHANDIGARH — Rejecting persistent allegations that his administration is secretly managed by a "Super CM" from the national capital, the state's Chief Minister delivered a passionate defense of his constitutional autonomy on Tuesday, pausing only to credit his party's national boss for granting him the mandate to say so.

The state executive addressed the perceived gap between his elected office and the party hierarchy, assuring voters that all sovereign decisions since his 2022 assembly sweep were made entirely independently, exactly as his "Captain" in Delhi had envisioned. Officials noted the clarification was necessary to project a unified front following recent controversies over the Chief Minister's legislative conduct and the resignation of several Rajya Sabha MPs.

"The Chief Minister is the supreme executive authority of the state, a fact he demonstrated when he autonomously brought all his lawmakers to Delhi so he could attend a central meeting alone," a party spokesperson said, dismissing the opposition's narrative. "Any suggestion that state files are dictated by the high command is a complete misunderstanding of how voluntarily the Chief Minister defers to them."

The robust defense of decentralized governance concluded the summit's morning session, after which the independent head of state pointed to the party's 2023 elevation to national status as proof that relying entirely on one leader is the ultimate form of regional independence.