Punjab CM-Elect Bhagwant Mann Resigns As Lok Sabha MP, To Take Oath On March 16

| Updated: 14 March, 2022 6:08 pm IST

NEW DELHI: Punjab’s Chief Minister-elect Bhagwant Mann on Monday tendered his resignation as a member of Lok Sabha. He is all set to take the oath of office at a grand ceremony in Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on March 16.

Speaking to media persons outside his residence here, Mann said that there are a lot of challenges lying ahead before the next AAP government in the state. “Nothing happened in the last 70 years… I will try to resolve all the issues with the help and cooperation of the people of Punjab,” he said.

Extending an invitation to the people of Punjab for his swearing-in, Mann said, “Earlier, swearing-in ceremonies were organised at Raj Bhavan or big stadiums. It is for the first time that this ceremony will take place at the birthplace of a shaheed (freedom fighter). They are the reason we are free today. We can’t forget their sacrifices,” he stated.

Responding to a question on whether his government would take instructions from the party high command in Delhi, he said that his government will learn and implement good practices from everywhere.

“Guidelines will be taken from Delhi. Delhi will also take guidelines from Punjab. We will also learn and implement good practices from wherever we will see it – whether it is Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, or Tamil Nadu.” Mann said.

“I thank three crore people of Punjab for reposing their faith in AAP and (Arvind) Kerjwal’s promises,” he said.

After handing over his resignation papers to Speaker Om Birla, Mann said he would miss the lower house of the Parliament.

“Now that the people of Punjab have given me a bigger responsibility to serve the entire state, I promise the people of Sangrur that another voice from the constituency will reverberate in the parliament soon,” he stated.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 92 out of 117 constituencies in Punjab in the recently-held elections, overthrowing the ruling Congress and crushing Shiromani Akali Dal’s dreams to make a comeback.