Punjab's Chief Minister-elect Bhagwant Mann (48) has on Wednesday officially taken oath as the next Chief Minister after his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has recorded a landslide victory in Punjab in the recently held assembly polls and ousted the Congress rule. Out of 117 seats in Punjab, Aam Aadmi has swept 92 seats and became the single largest party. 

While the Congress party ended up getting 18 seats, BJP has concluded its race by securing only two seats. It has been a remarkable triumph of Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party and through the victory, the party has now established its rule in Punjab, the second state after Delhi. AAP has contested in the polls with former comedian and party's MP Bhagwant Mann as the Chief Ministerial candidate. Mann's prominence and the need for change in the state had combinedly brought people's trust towards AAP. 

Mann has contested from the Dhuri constituency and got 82,023 votes. After the victory, Mann made a huge announcement that his oath-taking ceremony will not be held at Raj Bhavan, but at Khatkarkalan in the Nawanshahr district, which is the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. He also has announced that the government offices will not have to display the photo of the Chief Minister as per the tradition. Amid flooded with commendations for his triumph, his announcements had drawn huge national attention. 

With the clear majority in hands, Mann has on Wednesday taken oath as the next Chief Minister of Punjab. The oath was administered by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit. After the oath, he has officially taken charge as the Chief Minister and announced a slew of promises to the Punjabi people. He had promised to make the state like Delhi and said, "We are here for you. We will work on unemployment and agriculture." By thanking AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, Mann said that the party knows how to run the administration. 

To the newly-elected MLAs, Mann said, "I appeal to you all (legislators) to not get arrogant. We have to respect even those who didn't vote for us." Significantly, Bhagwant Mann has made history by becoming the first non-Congress and non-Akali Dal CM of Punjab. Ahead of taking the oath, Mann tweeted in Punjabi, "The golden rays of Sun have brought a new dawn today. To fulfil the dreams of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar, the entire Punjab will take oath today at Khatkar Kalan."

Earlier in a video message, Mann has invited the people to his swearing ceremony and told men to wear yellow turbans and women to wear yellow stole for the ceremony. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, senior AAP leaders had attended the ceremony and around 8,000 to 10,000 security personnel were deployed for the event. 

Several leaders had congratulated Mann for becoming the Chief Minister of Punjab. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media, "Congratulations to Shri Bhagwant Mann Ji on taking oath as Punjab CM. Will work together for the growth of Punjab and welfare of the state's people." Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote, "My hearty wishes to Thiru Bhagwant Mann, who is swearing-in as Chief Minister of Punjab today. Tamil Nadu & Punjab share a long history of being vocal about linguistic rights & rights of the state in the Indian Union. Wishing the new government in Punjab, a successful tenure." 

Congratulations to Shri @BhagwantMann Ji on taking oath as Punjab CM. Will work together for the growth of Punjab and welfare of the state’s people.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 16, 2022

My hearty wishes to Thiru. @BhagwantMann, who is swearing in as Chief Minister of Punjab today. Tamil Nadu & Punjab share a long history of being vocal about linguistic rights & rights of the state in the Indian Union. Wishing the new government in Punjab, a successful tenure.

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 16, 2022