Bhagwant Mann elected as AAP Legislature Party leader, to take oath as Punjab CM on March 16
New Delhi/Chandigarh, Mar 11: Bhagwant Mann will take oath as the chief minister of Punjab on March 16 at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of iconic freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, the AAP said on Friday after he met party national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.
Mann was also elected as the Punjab AAP Legislature Party leader. He will meet Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Saturday to stake claim to form the government, a party leader said.
On March 13, the Aam Aadmi Party will hold a roadshow in Amritsar to thank the people of Punjab for their "love and trust". Both the swearing-in ceremony and the roadshow will be attended by Kejriwal, the party said.
A day after the AAP's stupendous victory, Mann met Kejriwal and his parents at his residence and took their "blessings", it said.
He also extended an invitation to Kejriwal to attend the party's roadshow and the oath-taking ceremony, it added.
"After the historic victory in the Punjab Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party has intensified the preparations for government formation in Punjab. In this context, the future chief minister of Punjab, Sardar Bhagwant Mann, today met the party's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his parents in Delhi and took their blessings," the AAP said in a statement after the meeting.
"AAP's convener Arvind Kejriwal congratulated Sardar Bhagwant Mann on becoming the chief minister of Punjab and gave him the mantra of work(ing) day and night for the bright future of the people of Punjab," it said.
During the meeting, "detailed discussions" were held with regard to government formation in Punjab under the leadership of Mann, it said.
The AAP said plans for the oath-taking ceremony "and MLAs joining the cabinet" were also discussed during the meeting.
"During this meeting, it was decided that a roadshow would be organised in Amritsar on March 13 to acknowledge the immense love and trust that the party received from the people of Punjab," it said.
Mann will join Kejriwal for the roadshow to thank the people of Punjab, it added.
The meeting, which went on for over an hour, was attended by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendar Jain and AAP in-charge of political affairs in Punjab Raghav Chadha.
Mann later left for Punjab.
Kejriwal tweeted about the meeting and shared a picture of it.
"My younger brother Bhagwant Mann will take oath as the chief minister of Punjab. Today, he came to my residence to extend an invitation for the oath-taking ceremony. I am sure that as a chief minister, Bhagwant will fulfil every expectation of the people of Punjab," he said in Hindi.
This was Mann's first meeting with Kejriwal after the assembly election results were declared on Thursday.
In a tweet in Hindi, Sisodia said, "Met Punjab's dearest son and newly elected chief minister Bhagwant Mann ji at national convener Arvind Kejriwal ji's residence. Congratulated him on the victory and also wished him all the best for bringing a big change in the next five years by fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Punjab."
He also a shared a picture of his meeting with Mann.
Later, Mann was elected as the AAP Legislature Party leader at a meeting of party MLAs in Mohali.
"A meeting of the Legislature Party was held today. We have formally elected Bhagwant Mann as our leader," AAP leader Aman Arora said.
He said Mann will meet the Punjab governor on Saturday to stake claim to form the government.
The AAP romped home in 92 of the 117 assembly seats in Punjab. Mann won from the Dhuri seat by a huge margin of 58,206 votes.
Talking to reporters in Sangrur before leaving for the national capital, Mann had said he would meet Kejriwal to congratulate him on the AAP's victory in the Punjab elections.
Mann has said the oath-taking ceremony will be held in Khatkar Kalan village in Nawanshahr district.
On the AAP's resounding poll victory, Mann said, "The people defeated arrogant persons and they made the common people victorious."
मेरा छोटा भाई भगवंत मान पंजाब के मुख्यमंत्री पद की शपथ लेगा। आज वे शपथ ग्रहण का न्यौता देने मेरे घर आए। मुझे पूरा भरोसा है कि भगवंत एक मुख्यमंत्री के तौर पर पंजाब के लोगों की हर उम्मीद को पूरा करेंगे। pic.twitter.com/u2JoH1ZKtH
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 11, 2022
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Kohli has silenced doubters with century: Gavaskar
Raipur (PTI): Batting maestro Virat Kohli proved that the "old generation is still the best" with his unbeaten century against Kolkata Knight Riders, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said while lavishing praise on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star for silencing doubters in the ongoing IPL.
Coming off two successive ducks, the 37-year-old Kohli smashed an unbeaten hundred to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over KKR and move to the top of the points table here on Wednesday.
"Virat Kohli was absolutely outstanding against KKR. He knows how to construct a chase better than most," Gavaskar said on Star Sports' 'Amul Cricket Live'.
"While everyone was talking about this being the season of 'Gen Next', Kohli showed he is still around. He silenced the doubters with a century and moved to third in the Orange Cap race. He proved that the old generation is still the best."
Gavaskar highlighted Kohli's staggering consistency in the shortest format and said his records may stand untouched for a long time.
"When it comes to T20 centuries, he is third on the list with 10, behind Chris Gayle and Babar Azam. But he is the fastest to 14,000 T20 runs and has nine IPL hundreds. Records are there to be broken, but it will take a very long time for anyone to match what Kohli keeps delivering, game after game, season after season," he said.
"This hundred from Virat Kohli was one of those special moments that remind us of his greatness."
Gavaskar also pointed to the dropped catch of Kohli by KKR as a decisive turning point in the contest.
"Before this RCB-KKR game, KKR's efficiency with catches was still the best in the IPL this season. But this one hurt badly," he said.
"Rovman Powell had the chance to dismiss Virat Kohli early. He went up high, timed his jump well, but the ball slipped out. You cannot drop Kohli early in his innings. He will make you pay every single time."
"He scored a hundred and made KKR regret that drop. That is what great players do. They don't give you a second chance."
