'Don’t be arrogant, work for people': Punjab CM-designate Bhagwant Mann to AAP MLAs

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister-designate Bhagwant Mann on Friday asked newly elected AAP MLAs to remain grounded and spend most of their time in villages and cities to resolve issues of public.

"Work there where we sought votes,” Mann told the MLAs. "The government will run from villages, wards, mohallas. Go and meet people, have tea with them. Take officers along and resolve their issues," Mann said in a brief address during a meeting of the AAP's legislature party.

Punjab | CM designate Bhagwant Mann addresses the AAP Legislative Party meeting in Mohali pic.twitter.com/vdShDM7Ppk — ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2022

"Spend minimum time in Chandigarh,” he advised them. Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. He told them to always remain humble and shed arrogance. "You are MLAs of those people also who did not vote for you... You are MLAs of Punjabis and the government is formed by Punjabis,” he said.

Mohali | I appeal to you all ( newly-elected MLAs) to not get arrogant. We have to respect even those who didn't vote for us...All MLAs must work in the areas from where they have been elected, not just stay in Chandigarh: Bhagwant Mann, during AAP Legislative Party meeting pic.twitter.com/UGtJKOzWWk — ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2022

Bhagwant Mann was on Friday unanimously elected as the leader of the AAP's legislature party in Punjab and he will meet the governor on Saturday to stake claim to form the government in the state.

The AAP had a registered landslide win in the Punjab Assembly polls by winning 92 seats to form its government in the state with a three-fourth majority in the 117-member legislative assembly.

The chief minister-elect also took a dig at horse-trading politics saying, "We can call our legislative party meeting anytime we want. We don`t have to rush or worry as our MLAs are honest they are not running away to other states.

Punjab witnessed a multi-cornered contest with key players being Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance, and the coalition of Bharatiya Janata Party-former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh`s Punjab Lok Congress and SAD (Sanyukt) led by SS Dhindsa.

Congress` Charanjit Singh Channi, Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu all lost to AAP candidates.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won 77 seats whereas Shiromani Akali Dal could win only 15 seats, BJP netted three and independent candidates won two seats. AAP had emerged as the second-largest party with 20 seats.