Bhagwant Mann to take oath at Khatkarkalan; AAP govt's focus to be on schools, industry

CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the oath-taking ceremony of the new Punjab cabinet will be held at Khatkarkalan in Nawanshahr district, the ancestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

"The oath-taking ceremony will not be held at Raj Bhawan, but at Khatkarkalan. The date will be announced later," Mann said addressing party workers and supporters at Dhuri after the AAP appeared set for a clean sweep in Punjab having taken lead in 91 of the 117 assembly seats after initial rounds of counting of votes.

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He also said that no government office will carry photograph of the chief minister. Instead, photos of Bhagat Singh and Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar will be put on walls in government offices. Appealing to people to work unitedly, he said those who did not vote for the APP need not worry as the government will work for all sections of the society.

The thrust areas for his government would be improving the condition of schools, health infrastructure, bringing back industry, making agriculture profitable, and improving sports infrastructure. He said sports tracks and stadiums will be set up in all villages.

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Referring to the evacuation of Indian students pursuing medical education in Ukraine, he said our government will work to set our own house in order. "Why do people go out to study, why can't we provide facilities at cheap rates," he asked. He assured people that Punjab will "slowly" be put on the right track and change will be felt after one month.

Hitting out at opponents for attacking AAP leaders during electioneering, he said they would now have to give respect to 2.75 crore Punjabis. Taking a jibe at the functioning of the previous Congress government when the ministers were asked to sit two days in a week in offices at Chandigarh, he said now ministers will go to the border, villages and streets to listen to problems of the common man.

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Targeting his predecessors, Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, he said, "Earlier the governments use to run from Motibagh Palace (Amarinder's private residence at Patiala) and a house with huge walls (Badals Lambi home), but now Punjab is of the people of the state." On Congress and SAD stalwarts biting the dust at the hustings, he said if the intentions are clear anything is possible. "Punjab will now be made Punjab again," he added.