AAP to form Punjab govt on March 16; Swearing-in ceremony likely to take place at Bhagat Singh's birthplace

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made a clean sweep by winning 92 seats out of 117 in Punjab Assembly Election 2022, will form government after taking oath on March 16. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place at Khatkar Kalan, the birthplace of martyr Bhagat Singh instead of Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh. This will be the first government of Punjab taking oath at Khatkar Kalan since the village holds a huge significance for the people of the state.

The Chief Ministerial candidate of AAP, Bhagwant Mann made the announcement while addressing a gathering from the rooftop of his house in Sangrur after AAPs' landsliding victory on Thursday. However, the final decision in this context is yet to be taken by the party high command on Friday.

Sources revealed that Bhagwant Mann and Punjab affairs in charge Raghav Chadha left for Delhi to meet party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The party leaders will discuss on various issues including induction of candidates into the the Mann Cabinet.

It is learnt that the AAP government will induct at least five to seven ministers in the Mann cabinet at the initial stage and the number would increase there after.

A meeting of the party’s all elected 92 MLAs will be held either on Friday evening or Saturday morning. The AAP leaders under the leadership of Mann will meet Governor Banwari Lal Purohit on Saturday, and stake claim to form the government. On Sunday, Mann along with all 91 MLAs will visit Golden Temple to pay obeisance.

Meanwhile, CM Charanjit Singh Channi along with his cabinet colleagues submitted their resignations to the Punjab governor Bsanwari Lal Purohit. The governor, however, asked the chief minister to continue as a working CM till new government takes oath.