Amidst rising uncertainty over Aam Aadmi Party’s chief ministerial candidate in Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal announced Tuesday that his party would fight the upcoming assembly polls in the state with Bhagwant Mann the CM face.
Bhagwant Mann is AAP Punjab president and a member of parliament from the Sangrur constituency.
Kejriwal ascribed the party’s decision to go ahead with Mann as the chief ministerial candidate to an unusual referendum, in the form of televote asking people to vote for their choice of leader as the party’s CM candidate.
People were asked to use their phones and Whatsapp to vote for their preferred candidate. More than 93 per cent of the people who voted their choice opted for Bhagwant Mann, Arvind Kejriwal told reporters.
Earlier on January 13, Kejriwal had launched a mobile phone number and asked people of Punjab to send suggestions on their preferred chief ministerial candidates.
Punjab assembly polls post-poned from February 14 to February 20
It is notable to mention that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has deferred the Vidhan Sabha elections for the State of Punjab from February 14 to February 20 this year.
In a tweet posted on January 17, ECI spokesperson informed, “After consideration of all facts made available, Election Commission has announced 2022 General Elections to the Legislative Assembly of State of Punjab on 8th January 2022 under which notification for the election is to be issued on 21st January 2022 and poll is to take place on 14th February 2022.”
The new date for election notification is January 25, the last day of filing nominations on February 1, and the scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on February 2. The last date for withdrawal of nomination is February 2.
Elections in the State will now coincide with the 3rd phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh. The decision by the ECI was taken in consultation with the Chief Electoral Officer (ECI) and the Punjab government. Votes in the poll-bound State will be conducted on March 10, 2022.