AAP picks comedian Bhagwant Mann as its CM face for Punjab Assembly elections

Delhi Chief Minister and national convener of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal finally announced comedian Bhagwant Mann as chief ministerial candidate of this party for Punjab Assembly elections in Mohali near Chandigarh on Tuesday. Mann’s name was announced by the party after receiving feedback from nearly 12.60 lakh people on a mobile phone line opened recently.

Bhagwant Mann along with senior party leader Harpal Singh Cheema, received Kejriwal at the International Airport, Chandigarh, and accompanied him to Mohali Club.

While announcing Mann as AAP's CM candidate, Kejriwal said that 21,59,437 people sent their feedback to the party by naming Bhagwant Mann as their first choice for the CM candidate. Honouring public suggestion and feelings, Kejriwal said, "I take privilege to announce Bhagwant Mann as AAP CM candidate for the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections,''

With Kejriwal announcing Mann as the CM candidate ahead of assembly elections, the AAP has taken a lead and set a goal for its political opponents to chase. Meanwhile suspense over the CM face still prevails in the Congress and BJP-PLC and SAD (Sanyukat) alliance while the SAD-BSP had already given indication over its CM face.

Earlier while talking to media at the Airport, Mann claimed that not even a single section of the society is happy with the government functioning in Punjab. “There is a dire need to address the issues like unemployment, price rise, law and order, business and trade, agriculture, mafia raj and many more,” claimed Mann.

Born on October 17, 1973 in Satoj village of Sangrur district in Punjab Mann, a politician, comedian, actor, singer and social worker, is an internationally renowned face of Punjab, who joined politics (People’s Party of Punjab) in 2011 and unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha elections.

In 2012, he unsuccessfully contested elections from Lehra assembly constituency. Mann joined the Aam Aadmi Party in March 2014, and successfully contested from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency. He again won Lok Sabha elections from Sangrur in 2019, is the only MP from Aam Aadmi Party in the Lok Sabha of the parliament.