As Punjab’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district turns yellow for CM-designation Bhagwant Mann’s swearing-in, it’s the invitations for the event that has been in spotlight on Wednesday. From a popular singer to a former Union minister and child who went viral for dressing up as Mann, are the top invitees for the ceremony.
Noted Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan was spotted seated at the venue in Khatkar Kalan, ancestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. “AAP’s victory is just the beginning. Their ideology is special. I pray that God gives them (AAP) courage to make Punjab prosperous,” he told reporters.
‘Baby Bhagwant Mann’, who sported a yellow turban and a black muffler on the day of counting, has also been invited. The Aam Aadmi Party uploaded a picture of him in turban, muffler, fake moustache and spectacles as he flashed victory sign.
Former Union minister Manish Tewari, who seemed slightly emotional on receiving the invite, shared a picture of it, and wrote that was ironic that he wasn’t invited to former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s swearing-in, even though “he was one of Tewari MLA’s. He further thanked Mann for the invitation and apologised for not being able to make it to the event due to ongoing Parliament session.
I congratulate @BhagwantMann on being sworn in as Chief MinisterI thank him for inviting me to his swearing in . Due to Parliament being in session I will not be able to make it .It is ironic I was not invited to @CHARANJITCHANNI ‘s swearing in though he was one of my MLA’s pic.twitter.com/AyW91uNyYE— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) March 16, 2022
Notably, Tewari is part of ‘G-23’, a group of Congress’s rebel leaders, who have been demanding reforms in the party. In 2020, Tewari, Kapil Sibal, Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad and others had written to the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi demanding changes.
“Over-centralisation of the organisation and micro-management has always proven to be counter-productive. The party has witnessed a steady decline reflected in successive electoral verdicts in 2014 and 2019, and the reasons were manifold,” their letter read.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior party leaders will take part in the swearing-in ceremony. The Aam Aadmi Party romped home winning 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, decimating the Congress and the SAD-BSP combine.
Officials are expecting over 3 lakh people to attend the event. Mann, the chief minister-designate, had invited the people of the state to attend his oath-taking ceremony, saying it’s not he alone, but three crore people of Punjab will also take oath with him.
He had also urged men to wear ‘basanti’ (yellow) colour turbans and women to wear basanti ‘dupatta’. Officials said full-proof security arrangements have been made for the ceremony and several senior officials, including Inspector General and Senior Superintendent Police rank officers, have been deputed for the event.
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