Bhagwant Mann

Earlier on April 11, Mann had met Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He had discussed the 300 units free electricity scheme in Punjab. Since then, there has been a speculation about its announcement. For the past several weeks, preparations are going on to make 300 units of electricity free in Punjab. Earlier, Mann had also met senior officials of Punjab.

Reacting strongly to the announcement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to bring Chandigarh union territory employees under Central civil services rules, the SAD said, "It is incumbent on the AAP government to make the Centre understand that Chandigarh is a union territory as per an ad-hoc arrangement only.

Bhagwant Mann has replaced Charanjit Singh Channi as Punjab CM. The oath ceremony of the new CM and government was held in Khatkar Kalan on March 16. Bhagwant Mann started off his career as a comedian and became popular after competing in the Great Indian Laughter Challenge on Star Plus in 2006. Mann started his political career in 2011 with Manpreet Singh Badal's political party- People's Party of Punjab and later joined AAP in 2014. He contested from Dhuri in the 2022 Assembly elections where Sidhu was in the opposition party. 

Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, AAP's Punjab affairs co-in-charge Raghav Chadha, party's election strategist in Punjab, Sandeep Pathak, Lovely Professional University (LPU) Chancellor Ashok Kumar Mittal and Ludhiana's eminent industrialist Sanjeev Arora filed nomination for the Rajya Sabha seats from AAP in the Punjab legislative Assembly. All the candidates filed their nomination papers in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Mann would hold the portfolios of Administrative Reforms, Civil Aviation, General Administration, Home Affairs and Justice, Personnel, Vigilance, Housing and Urban Development, Local Government, Industries and Commerce, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Horticulture, Conservation of Land and Water, Food Processing, among others.

Kejriwal, attending the meeting through video conferencing, briefed the MLAs on the party's objectives and working methods. He said that after winning elections in four states, BJP's new Chief Ministers haven't taken oath, let alone do any work of the people. On many senior MLAs not becoming ministers, Kejriwal said that those MLAs who are not given ministerial berths should not underestimate themselves.

Thet are Harpal Cheema (Dirba), Baljit Kaur (Malout), Harbhajan Singh (Jandiala), Vijay Singla (Mansa), Lal Chand Kataruchak (Bhoa), Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer (Barnala), Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal (Ajnala), Laljit Singh Bhullar (Patti), Brahm Shankar (Hoshiarpur), and Harjot Singh Bains (Anandpur Sahib). Against 17 vacancies in the Cabinet, the party is inducting 10 ministers.

Punjab's 28th Chief Minister entered the secretariat premises in an atmosphere of festivity with rousing welcome by employees standing around and in balconies. Mann was given a guard of honour from the 82nd Battalion of the Punjab Police at the secretariat. Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari and DGP V.K. Bhawra along with senior IAS officers welcomed the Chief Minister by presenting bouquets.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Bhagwant Mann on taking oath as chief minister of Punjab. In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, "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." Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mann as the 17th Chief Minister.