Khatkar Kalan (Punjab): AAP leader Bhagwant Mann took oath of office on Wednesday as 17th Chief Minister of Punjab amidst a mass gathering.
After taking oath in Hindi, Mann raised the slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ or ‘Long live the revolution’.
Mann, 48, a former comedian, replacing Congress’ Charanjit Channi as the Chief Minister, became Punjab’s youngest CM in nearly four decades. He resigned as the Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur on Tuesday.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mann. After the oath-taking, which was delayed by an hour, Mann in his address said he along with all the residents of the state also took oath as Chief Ministers. “You all will be the Chief Ministers,” he said.
He said the work would start today itself. “We are already very late. We are late by 70 years. People from all over India come to Delhi to see schools and ‘mohalla’ clinics, foreigners would come to Punjab and click photos,” he said.
Paying tribute to Bhagat Singh, Mann said, “Bhagat Singh was not just concerned about India getting its freedom but also the hands the country will go into once it is free. His concerns were valid. We are going abroad to those from whom we took our freedom. We will stay in our country and work for its betterment,” he said.
At the oath-taking venue, three podiums were set up on the stage. While the Governor and Mann were on the central podium, the second was occupied by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet, and the third by AAP’s 91 legislators.
After the landslide victory on March 10, Mann, who won the Dhuri seat with a margin of 58,206 votes, said during the Congress-Akali Dal governments, decisions regarding Punjab used to be taken in Moti Mahal, Siswan farm house and big ‘havelis’.
“Now the government of Punjab will run from villages and mohallas.”