Punjab going to get honest CM after years: Kejriwal

 Amritasar, Mar 13 (PTI) AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said after many years, Punjab is going to get an honest chief minister and asserted that his party will give an honest government to the state.

“Tussi kamaal kar dita…. I love you Punjab,” he said, thanking the voters of the state for the huge mandate they have given to his party.

“The whole world is discussing you. The world is yet to believe that such a big inqilab (revolution) has come to Punjab,” Kejriwal said during a roadshow organised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to celebrate its landslide poll victory.

AAP’s chief minister-designate Bhagwant Mann also took part in the roadshow.

The AAP won 92 of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab, decimating the Congress and the SAD-BSP combine.

Kejriwal noted that the voters of Punjab made leaders like Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Charanjit Singh Channi, Bikram Singh Majithia, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Manpreet Singh Badal and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal bite the dust in the just-concluded election.

“It is a very big inqilab and only Punjabis could do this,” he said.

“I am happy that after many years, Punjab is going to get an honest chief minister. My younger brother Bhagwant is fiercely honest. An honest government will be formed,” the Delhi chief minister said.

He said if a minister or an MLA of the party is found to be indulging in any kind of wrongdoing, he will be put behind bars.

“There will be a fiercely honest government,” Kejriwal said while targeting other political parties for allegedly looting the state.

“This loot will now be stopped. Every single penny from the government coffers will be spent on you, on the poor and on Punjab,” he added.

The AAP supremo said his party will honour all the poll promises made to the people of Punjab. “Some may take time, some can be done instantly, but we will honour all promises,” he said.

On March 16, Mann will be sworn in as the new chief minister at the oath-taking ceremony at Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahr, Kejriwal said, adding, “Not only Bhagwant Mann, but every single person of Punjab will be the chief minister.”

“Now, there will be development in Punjab. We will make it ‘rangla’ Punjab and prosperous Punjab,” he said.

Mann said the names of the people of Punjab will be written in golden letters in history for “breaking the record” on March 10, when the poll results were declared.

“You voted for yourself, for your children, your elders, you voted for good farming and for a good standard of living,” he said.

Mann said the voters ensured that those who “looted” the state alternatively for 70 years were defeated in the polls with big margins.

“The kind of record you have made with 92 seats, it has never happened in the history of Punjab,” he said as he recalled that the AAP was born out of a movement at the Ram Lila ground in Delhi.

“We will start working from day one,” Mann said.

On the withdrawal of security of 122 former ministers and MLAs, Mann said 403 police personnel and 27 police vehicles are now back at police stations.

He reiterated that there will be no photograph of the chief minister at government offices and “only the pictures of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and B R Ambedkar will be put up”.

Referring to seasoned politicians getting a taste of electoral defeat, he said, “They have not lost, but it is the people of Punjab who have won.”

The swearing-in ceremony, which was traditionally held at the Raj Bhawan, will now be held at Khatkar Kalan, the native place of Bhagat Singh, Mann said.

The roadshow started from Kachheri Chowk. AAP supporters showered flower petals on both Kejriwal and Mann who stood atop an open vehicle. Newly-elected MLAs of the party were also part of the roadshow.

Waving the tricolour and party flags, the supporters, including several elderly people and women, came to Amritsar from various parts of the state to witness the roadshow.

“We are very happy that the AAP has come to power. Now, Punjab will become prosperous once again,” said a young man who came all the way from Jaitu in Faridkot.

Another AAP supporter from Amritsar’s Ajnala said, “People were disenchanted with the traditional political parties and they saw the AAP as a ray of hope for giving a new direction to Punjab.”

Cut-outs of Kejriwal and Mann as well as “Dhanyavad Punjab” posters were put up at many places in the holy city.

The AAP supporters danced to dhol beats and patriotic songs were also played.

Tight security arrangements were made during the roadshow.

Earlier, Kejriwal, along with Mann, paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials at the information centre presented them with a “siropa” (robe of honour).

The two leaders also paid floral tributes at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial and offered prayers at the Durgiana Mandir and the Sri Ram Tirath Mandir here.

Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, was received by Mann at the airport. AAP leader Raghav Chadha was also present.