'Punjab's Zelenskyy': Comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann to become next CM

Bhagwant Mann MP from Sangrur and Aam Aadmi Partys face for the Punjab assembly polls is set to be the next chief minister with the party poised for a historic verdict in the stateMann has won from Sangrur districts Dhuri assembly constituency by a margin of 58206 votes over Congresss Dalvir Singh GoldyMann addressed people from his residence in Sangrur The comedianturnedpolitician announced that he will take oath of office at Khatkar Kalan the birthplace of freedom fighter Sardar Bhagat SinghI will take oath at Khatkar Kalan and everyone can come to attend the event he saidMann further said that no government offices during his tenure will have pictures of any politicians but only of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and BR AmbedkarTaking serious note of unemployment in the state Mann said that his first greenink pen will be used to give huge relief to unemployed youthHundreds of AAP volunteers gathered near his office in Sangrur where Punjab police beefed up security Enthusiast locals and AAP volunteers were seen at a lsquolangarrsquo organised for people at SangrurA langar has been organised in Sangrur in celebration of Manns win Pic Diwakar SharmaMann was announced as AAPs chief ministerial candidate on January 18 The party claimed the decision was taken after it conducted telephonic polls to decide the chief ministerial candidateCalling Mann his younger brother Arvind Kejriwal said that of the total responses 933 per cent wanted MannBorn in Satoj village of Sangrur in 1973 Mann started his career as a comedian He began his political career in 2011 with the Punjab Peoples Party which is led by Manpreet Singh Badal In 2012 he fought the elections from the Lehragaga constituency but lostLater he joined the Aam Aadmi Party in 2014 and contested the election from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat His importance in Punjab politics increased when he defeated the veteran leader of Punjab Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa who was then with Shiromani Akali Dal SADMann has been elected to the Punjab Lok Sabha seat of Sangrur for two terms in a row since 2014He gained popularity from his satires in TV show Jugnu Mast Mast He also featured in several other comedy showsAccording to the Election Commission of India AAP has won 20 seats and is leading on 71 others at 240 PM in the 117 seat Punjab assemblyAs AAP wins Punjab it will be the partys maiden victory in the state and a vast improvement from its performance in the 2017 elections when it had finished second behind CongressCongress went into the polls battling factionalism and antiincumbency The party changed its Chief Minister in September last year even as the partys new state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu hinted about his own chief ministerial ambitions Congress finally declared Charanjit Singh Channi as the first Dalit Chief Minister of Punjab endorsing him for the chief ministerial face days before the polling on February 20The Shiromani Akali Dal which had broken off the alliance with the BJP over the three farm laws that were eventually repealed tied up with Bahujan Samaj Party for the Assembly electionsIt is the first time that the BJP fought on over 65 seats in Punjab It tied up with former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singhs Punjab Lok Congress and SAD Sanyukt led by SS DhindsaPunjab recorded an average voter turnout of 6550 per cent on February 20 compared to over 77 per cent in 2017With agency inputs