AAP leader Bhagwant Mann to take oath as Punjab CM today

Khatkar Kalan: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann is all set to be sworn in as the Punjab chief minister today. Mann's oath-taking ceremony is set to take place at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, in Nawanshahr district.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders will take part in the swearing-in ceremony.

Both his children Seerat Kaur Manna (21) and Dilshan Manna (17) are scheduled to attend the event at Khatkar Kalan on Wednesday. They have flown all the way from the United States to attend the ceremony, their mother and Mann's ex-wife Inderpreet Kaur informed The Indian Express.

Bhagwant Mann has invited the people of Punjab to the event saying that it's not just him, but the 3 crore people of the state that will take the oath with him.

"On March 16, in Bhagat Singh's Khatkar Kalan, not just Bhagwant Mann will take the oath and become CM, but along with me all three crore people of Punjab will also become CM. Together we will make Shaheed Bhagat Singh's Rangla Punjab," Mr Mann said in a video message.

He has also urged men to wear 'basanti' (yellow) colour turbans and women to wear Basanti 'dupatta'.

Officials expect over 3 lakh attendees at the event. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the oath-taking ceremony.

Officials said that nearly 10,000 security personnel, including Inspector General and Senior Superintendent Police rank officers, have been deployed for the event.

The district administration has announced a school holiday today in view of the huge gathering expected for the swearing-in ceremony.

The Aam Aadmi Party registered a landslide victory, winning 92 seats in the 117-seat Punjab Assembly. Mr Mann, who was contesting from Dhuri assembly constituency in Sangrur district, won by a margin of 58,206 votes over Congress' Dalvir Singh Goldy.