Punjab chief Minister-designate Bhagwant Mann Saturday met Governor Banwarilal Purohit and staked claim to form the government in the state. Mann, who was unanimously elected AAP legislature party leader a day ago, handed over handed over a letter of support of his party MLAs to the Governor who accepted it.
Addressing the media outside the Raj Bhawan, Mann said, “We staked claim to form the government and the governor sahib approved it”.
Mann said the swearing-in ceremony will be held at 12:30 pm on March 16 at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, in Nawanshahr district.
“We invite the people of Punjab (for the ceremony). On March 16, not only us and our ministers, but every Punjabi will take oath…we will vow to sacrifice everything for the progress of Punjab, he said.
Replying to a question on the Cabinet formation, Mann said, “The cabinet will be good. Historic decisions will be taken.”
Mann has already invited AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the swearing-in ceremony. On Sunday, the two leaders will pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir and Sri Ram Tirath Mandir. They will take part in a road show in Amritsar to celebrate the AAP’s stupendous victory in the polls and thank voters.
The AAP romped home by winning 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. It decimated the Congress and the SAD-BSP combine and its candidates defeated several stalwarts, including the outgoing chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and former chief minister Amarinder Singh.
A Vidhan Sabha session has been called on March 17 when all the newly elected legislators will take oath. Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari held a meeting on convening the session and the file for the schedule is being sent to Vidhan Sabha secretariat by Department of Parliamentary Affairs.
The session assumes significance as March 21 is the last date of nominations for the five Rajya Sabha seats from state falling vacant on April 9. The Election Commission has notified the polls for March 31.
Meanwhile, in first administrative change following the change of guard in the state, Additional Chief Secretary (Taxation) A Venu Prasad was Saturday appointed as Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister.