'Won't waste single day': Bhagwant Mann takes oath as Punjab CM at Bhagat Singh's village

NEW DELHI:

AAP

leader Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday took oath as the chief minister of Punjab at a grand ceremony attended by a sea of supporters in freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's village.

"The work will start from today itself. We will not waste even a single day," thundered the comedian-turned-politician at a public meeting at Khatkar Kalan village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.

During his address, Mann advised humility to AAP workers and volunteers, saying there should not be any report suggesting that they have become arrogant.

Mann raised 'Inqlab Zindabad', 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Bole So Nihal' slogans before beginning his short speech, in which he promised to tackle unemployment, corruption and farmers' problems.

He said the condition of the state's schools and hospitals will be improved, like it has been done by the AAP government in Delhi. People from abroad will come to Punjab to see them, just as they do in Delhi, he said.

He also touched upon the migration of the youth from Punjab to seek jobs abroad.

Mann wore a yellow turban for the ceremony, the same colour that was chosen for the theme of the decor.

The 'basanti' colour signifies revolution and the spirit of sacrifice and is identified with Bhagat Singh. It also aligns with the welcoming of the spring season.

Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit administers oath of office to Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhagwant Mann

Delhi chief minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also sported yellow turbans at the ceremony, tied in a style inspired by Bhagat Singh's turban.

During his speech, Mann said the swearing-in ceremonies earlier used to take place at cricket stadiums or the Raj Bhavan.

“Now this oath-taking ceremony is being held at villages of martyrs,” he said.

“Bhagat Singh had dreamt of freedom and the AAP is fighting to take that freedom to the common people,” he added.

He said the martyr was worried in whose hands the reins of the country will go after freedom. “His concern proved right,” Mann said.

He said people of Punjab created history by giving such a huge mandate to the AAP, predicting that it will feature in the future in the syllabus of educational institutes.

The crowd raised slogans like 'Inqlab Zindabad' and 'Bole So Nihaal' in the surcharged atmosphere at the rally, where Mann had invited the people of the state, saying the three crore people of Punjab will also take oath with him.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a flood of congratulations for Mann after he took the oath of office.

"Congratulations to Shri @BhagwantMann Ji on taking oath as Punjab CM. Will work together for the growth of Punjab and welfare of the state’s people," PM Modi said on Twitter.



Other members of the cabinet will be sworn in later as the AAP seeks to fulfil the massive mandate it got in the Punjab Assembly polls. The party, now in power in a second state — after Delhi where national convenor Arvind Kejriwal is the chief minister — won 92 of the 117 seats.

Parties like the Congress, the Shiromani Akali-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance and the combine of Amarinder Singh's Lok Congress Party and the BJP were decimated by the AAP wave.

(With inputs from agencies)