Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to meet PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah in Delhi today; first meeting after assembly elections

This will be Mann's first meeting with the Prime Minister after his party AAP registered a landslide victory in the recently concluded assembly elections in five states, including Punjab. Mann was sworn in as the chief minister last week.

NEW DELHI: Punjab's newly-appointed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday (March 24, 2022). The two leaders are expected to meet around 11 am.

This will be Mann's first meeting with the Prime Minister after his party AAP registered a landslide victory in the recently concluded assembly elections in Punjab. Mann was sworn in as the chief minister last week.

Though the agenda of the meeting is not clear, it is being seen as a courtesy call by the AAP leader. Mann had earlier tweeted that he had sought time from PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a courtesy call to discuss issues related to Punjab.

Mann and PM Modi had interacted on Twitter on March 16 when the Prime Minister congratulated the AAP leader for becoming Punjab CM. "Congratulations to Bhagwant Mann on taking oath as Punjab CM. Will work together for the growth of Punjab and welfare of the state's people," Modi tweeted.

Mann replied by saying, “Thank you, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji.”

It may be recalled that Mann's AAP had won 92 of the total 177 constituencies in Punjab. The Congress, which was the previous ruling government in the northern state, could only win 18 seats.

Mann, who was contesting from Dhuri Assembly constituency in Sangrur district, defeated Congress leader Dalvir Singh Goldy by a margin of more than 58,000 votes.

Upon taking over as chief minister, Bhawant Mann held his first cabinet meeting and approved the provision of 25,000 jobs to youngsters in departments, boards and corporations of the Punjab government. Mann also said that the state government has started the process to regularize 35,000 contractual government employees.

Among other measures, he also launched an anti-corruption helpline to weed out corruption from the govt and other departments.