AAP's Mann takes oath as Punjab CM

Jalandhar: AAP leader Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as Punjab Chief Minister on Wednesday. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mann in the swearing-in ceremony that took place at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in Punjab's Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district.

Only Mann took the oath during the ceremony.

The event was supposed to start at 12.30 pm but got delayed and was held at around 1.25 pm. Besides the newly-elected AAP MLAs, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, and other leaders wearing yellow turbans were also present.

AAP's Punjab affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh and co-incharge Raghav Chadha also attended the event.

The 48-year-old Mann, who took the oath in Punjabi, also delivered a brief address after the ceremony.

In his first speech after becoming the chief minister, Mann assured the people of the state that his party's government in Punjab will work to address issues like unemployment, corruption and farmers' plight. "The work will start from today itself. We will not waste even a single day. We are already late by 70 years," he said.

He promised that the condition of government schools and hospitals in the state will be improved like it has been done by the AAP government in Delhi. Like people from abroad come to see the improved schools and hospitals in Delhi, they will also come to Punjab, he said. He also touched upon the issue of youth of Punjab migrating to other countries for greener pastures.