Bhagwant Mann assumes office as Chief Minister. (Twitter/AAP)At the oath taking ceremony, Mann said people will visit Punjab just like they visit Delhi to see its schools and mohalla clinics. Before ending his speech with ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Jo Bole So Nihal’, Mann quoted another verse: “Hukumat vo karte hain jinka dilon par raj hota hai, yun to kehne ko murge ke sar pe bhi taaj hota hai (The ones who rule are those who rule hearts, crowns even rest on roosters’ heads).”
The ‘pandal’, with yellow drapes and 50,000 chairs, has been set up on 40 acres land near the Bhagat Singh memorial in the village in Nawanshahr district.
Besides newly-elected AAP MLAs, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior party leaders were also present at the ceremony. The Aam Aadmi Party won 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, decimating the Congress and the SAD-BSP combine.
AAP CM face Bhagwant Mann celebrates in Sangrur. (PTI)
New Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann received a warm welcome at the Punjab civil secretariat during the 'guard of honour' ceremony.
Amid a sea of “basanti” turbans, the venue of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s swearing-in ceremony at Bhagat Singh’s village Khatkar Kalan reverberated with the iconic revolutionary song “Mera rang de Basanti chola” on Wednesday.
This was in line with the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) designated theme of “Rang de Basanti” for the oath ceremony — illustrating the party’s strategy of not allowing only the BJP to lay claim to nationalist iconography. Mera rang de Basanti chola was penned by Bhagat Singh’s fellow revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil and other prisoners in 1927 while they were incarcerated in a jail in Lucknow. Read full report
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit today administered oath to Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar as the protem Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly at Raj Bhawan.
AAP leader Bhagwant Mann takes charge as Punjab Chief Minister at the state secretariat.
On the day AAP leader Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as the CM of Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party's Twitter handle posted a picture of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's statue, saying his "dreams would now be fulfilled".
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The son and daughter of Bhagwant Mann came to attend his swearing-in ceremony from the US. Seerat (21) and Dilshan (17) were seen sporting 'basanti' stoles
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his congratulations to Bhagwant Mann, who was sworn in as the 18th Chief Minister of Punjab on Wednesday. "Congratulations to Shri Bhagwant Mann Ji on taking oath as Punjab CM. Will work together for the growth of Punjab and welfare of the state’s people," the PM said.
Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has congratulated Bhagwant Mann on becoming the CM of Punjab. On Twitter, Kejriwal wrote in Hindi, "Many many congratulations and best wishes to Bhagwant Mann on becoming the Chief Minister of Punjab. I am sure that under your leadership, prosperity will return to Punjab, there will be a lot of progress and people's problems will be solved. God is with you."
In the presence of Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, AAP's Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as the Chief Minister.
The 48-year-old comedian-turned-politician resigned as the Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur on Tuesday. He was the lone AAP MP in the Lower House.
Promising that not a day will be wasted and work will begin today itself, Bhagwant Mann said people will visit Punjab just like they visit Delhi to see its schools and mohalla clinics. Before ending his speech with 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Jo Bole So Nihal', Mann quoted another verse: "Hukumat vo karte hain jinka dilon par raj hota hai, yun to kehne ko murge ke sar pe bhi taaj hota hai (The ones who rule are those who rule hearts, crowns even rest on roosters' heads)."
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said that Bhagat Singh was not just concerned about India getting its freedom but also the hands it 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.Launching an appeal to people to not leave the country, Mann said that solutions to all problems - from unemployment to farming to business to schools - will be found.Reciting a verse by Bhagat Singh, Mann said "It is everyone's birthright to love, why not make the soil of my nation my lover?"
In his first address after being sworn in as the Punjab CM, Bhagwant Mann said that like Bhagat Singh and other freedom fighters, the AAP is also fighting to take freedom to the people."It will take many lives to pay back the love we have got from you. We are also the government for those who didn't vote for us and we will work for them too," Mann added.
Chanting 'Jo Bole So Nihal' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', Bhagwant Mann thanked the people who attended the swearing-in ceremony. "Earlier, swearing-in ceremonies would be held in palaces and cricket grounds. But we have come to this village to remember those who gave us this independent nation. Freedom fighters stay in our hearts," he said.
AAP leader Bhagwant Mann takes oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab in the presence of Governor Banwarilal Purohit. At the swearing-in ceremony held at Bhagat Singh's ancestral village Khatkar Kalan, Mann ended his speech with 'Inquilab Zindabad' (long live the revolution). The slogan was then chanted by the crowds.
Punjab CM designate Bhagwant Mann and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal arrived at the swearing in venue in Bhagat Singh's ancestral village Khatkar Kalan.
Among other leaders present at the ceremony are Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia and Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai.
Congress leader Manish Tewari posted a picture of the invite sent to him for Punjab CM designate Bhagwant Mann's oath taking ceremony.
Tewari also hit out at the Congress for not inviting him to outgoing CM Charanjit Singh Channi's swearing in ceremony, a comment that comes at a time when the party is witnessing fissures within its leadership.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav congratulated Bhagwant Mann ahead of the oath-taking ceremony and hoped that Punjab will flourish under his leadership. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin too extended his wishes to Mann, adding that "Tamil Nadu and Punjab share a long history of being vocal about linguistic rights and rights of the state in the Indian Union".
Officials told PTI that foolproof security arrangements have been made for the ceremony and several senior officials, including Inspector General and Senior Superintendent Police rank officers, have been deputed for the event. Around 8,000 to 10,000 security personnel have been deployed for the event, said the officials. Civil Surgeon Davinder Dhanda said services of health staff of adjoining 10 districts and nearly 30 ambulances would be deployed to meet any health emergencies. Twelve first-aid teams would also be present, he said.
Ahead of Bhagwant Mann's swearing in as Punjab CM, legendary singer Gurdas Mann said he is happy the position is going to his "laadla kalakaar" (dear artist). "The ceremony is all about pyaar and satkaar (love and respect) and the party has received overwhelming support," he told The Indian Express. Maan further told ANI that the AAP's ideology is special, adding that he prays that they get the courage to make Punjab prosperous again.