As Aam Aadmi Party poises for a historic verdict in the state, Bhagwant Mann, MP from Sangrur and party’s CM face, said on Thursday that he will take the oath as Punjab’s Chief Minister in Bhagat Singh’s village Khatkarkalan, and not at the Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh.
“I will take oath as the CM in Bhagat Singh’s village Khatkarkalan, not at the Raj Bhawan,” Mann, said in Sangrur.
Mann also said that in his term, no government offices will have Chief Minister’s photos. “There will be pictures of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar,” he said.
Mann has won from Sangrur district’s Dhuri assembly constituency by a margin of 58,206 votes over Congress’ Dalvir Singh Goldy.
Mann was announced as AAP’s chief ministerial candidate on January 18. The party claimed the decision was taken after it conducted telephonic polls to decide the chief ministerial candidate.
Born in Satoj village of Sangrur in 1973, Mann started his career as a comedian. He began his political career in 2011 with the Punjab Peoples Party, which is led by Manpreet Singh Badal. In 2012, he fought the elections from the Lehragaga constituency but lost.
Later, he joined the Aam Aadmi Party in 2014 and contested the election from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. His importance in Punjab politics increased when he defeated the veteran leader of Punjab Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was then with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
Mann has been elected to the Punjab Lok Sabha seat of Sangrur for two terms in a row since 2014.
He gained popularity from his satires in the TV show ‘Jugnu Mast Mast’. He also featured in several other comedy shows.
According to the Election Commission of India, AAP has won 65 seats and is leading on 27 others at 4:40 PM in the 117 seat Punjab assembly.
As AAP wins Punjab, it will be the party’s maiden victory in the state and a vast improvement from its performance in the 2017 elections when it had finished second behind Congress.