Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has set targets for each minister in his cabinet and if that is not met, the people “can demand that the minister be removed,” Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today. Bhagwant Mann has “covered a lot of ground within just three days”, he said, pointing to the initial announcements by the new government.
Mr Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party won a massive mandate in Punjab in the recently commenced assembly elections and Mr Mann took oath as the Chief Minister earlier this week. The new Chief Minister, Mr Kejriwal said, has already “removed the security of old ministers and gave security to the public”.
As soon as the party won majority in Punjab, the AAP has not only seen celebrating but looking forward to prove their assurance made to the people. In one of his earliest decisions, Mr Mann has also approved filling up 25,000 vacant posts in various state departments, including 10,000 in the police force. “He also announced Anti-Corruption Action Line, after which the people in Delhi started getting calls… improvements have started on their own,” he added.
Virtually addressing the meeting MLAs in Mohali, Mr Kejriwal said the MLAs should not “sit in Chandigarh” or they would “get used to horse-drawn coaches”. “The party’s mantra is that an MLA will roam among the people, will go to villages,” he said. “The people of Punjab have selected diamonds and we have to work as a team of 92 people under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann… I am just his elder brother,” he added.
Addressing the newly elected AAP MLAs, “The whole country is talking about Bhagwant Mann and his works. Compensation for crops damaged in October has been released and farmers will get cheques in the coming days. You have done good work within 3 days of forming the govt,” said Aravind Kejriwal.
In his address, Mr Mann went back to the basics, exhorting the MLAs to be punctual, open an office in every town of their constituency and work 18 hours a day. “In Delhi, I have been watching. Every MLA and minister are surveyed to see what people say about him. Some negative feedback came in the survey of 21-22 MLAs. Their ticket was cancelled and given to others who also won,” he added.
Kejriwal advices MLAs to work together in the party, unlike BJP ministers
Arvind Kejriwal, also wondered what would the BJP governments in the four states do when the party cannot form the government there after so many days. He said that the BJP continues to be busy dealing with infighting in the party ranks in the four states. He also asked the MLAs to work together under the leadership of Mann. “The BJP, which has won in four states, is not able to form government till now due to fighting within the party. You all have to work together under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann. I am like your elder brother to give guidance,” he said.
On Saturday, 10 AAP MLAs, one of them a woman, were inducted into the new cabinet led by Mr Mann, who took oath on Wednesday. There are 18 berths in the cabinet, but Mr Mann has opted for a lean team.
The Aam Aadmi Party had gained 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, putting back the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party combine, and the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress-SAD (Sanyukt) alliance.
Published By:Â JAINAM SHETH
Edited By : KRITIKA KASHYAP
