Punjab: AAP leader Bhagwant Singh Mann swore in as the 18th CM of Punjab in Khatkar Kalan on Wednesday. The oath of office and secrecy was taken in the presence of Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit. The swearing-in ceremony of the comedian turned actor and two times MP was not held at the customary location Raj Bhawan.
Addressing the crowd after taking the chief ministerial oath, the leader said he was “thankful to all those who have gathered here. You have supported me. I thank each and every one of you. I am the chief minister of all, even of those who have not voted for me. This is a democracy.”
Congratulating Mann, the AAP put out a tweet, saying “Punjab di Aan, Baan aur Shaan, Sardar”
“What a moment ❤️🥺 Punjab di Aan, Baan aur Shaan, Sardar @BhagwantMann takes oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab,” it tweeted.
The event saw the presence of AAP chief Kejriwal along with all MLAs of Punjab and Delhi deputy CM. The outgoing chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi was not invited to the oath-taking ceremony. Also, no Union Minister or any big leader of the national level were invited for the exclusive AAP event.
The CM-designate in a video message released earlier invited the people of the state for his oath-taking ceremony, urging men to wear (yellow)’ turbans and women yellow ‘dupatta (stole)’ for the ceremony.
The Kejriwal Sena flagged 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly, decimating the Congress and the SAD-BSP combine, once a majority.