Bhagwant Mann takes oath as Punjab CM in Bhagat Singh’s native village

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab. Mann was administered the oath by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit. A grand ceremony of the swearing-in has been organized in Khatkar Kalan, the anscestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

Mann in a video message released earlier invited the people of the state for his oath-taking ceremony, urging men to wear ‘basanti (yellow)’ turbans and women yellow ‘dupatta (stole)’ for the ceremony.

Notably, Mann has been wearing yellow turbans, which is identified with Bhagat Singh. The AAP registered a landslide victory in recently concluded Punjab Assembly polls, winning 92 seats, pushing most of its rivals to the margins. Congress won 18 seats in the 117-member Assembly. Mann, who was contesting from Dhuri Assembly constituency in Sangrur district, won by a margin of 58,206 votes over Congress’ Dalvir Singh Goldy. As AAP wins Punjab, it will be the party’s maiden victory in the state and a vast improvement from its performance in the 2017 elections when the party had finished behind Congress.