Bhagwant Mann is AAP's chief ministerial candidate for Punjab elections: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi chief minister and national convenor of AAP Arvind Kejriwal has announced Bhagwant Mann as party's chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Punjab elections.

Kejriwal had on January 13 asked the people of Punjab to suggest names of their preferred chief ministerial candidates and launched a mobile number for the purpose.

He said that an overwhelming majority wanted Bhagwant Mann as chief minister. Out of the more than 21 lakh responses received, more than 93 per cent opted for Bhagwant Mann.

Kejriwal then said that though he had wanted party MP Bhagwant Mann's name to be declared as the chief ministerial candidate, the latter insisted that the people of Punjab should make this decision.

The AAP national convenor had in June 2021 said that the party's chief ministerial face for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls would be from the Sikh community and that the entire Punjab would be proud of its choice.

Voting for Punjab's 117 assembly seats is scheduled for February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.