Bhagwant Mann Removes Security of Navjot Singh Sidhu Along With 122 ex-MLAs

AMRITSAR: Ahead of swearing-in as the next chief minister of Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhagwant Mann on Saturday removed the security cover of 122 former MLAs, including Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and several of his ministers will be present at the event. The date was announced after Mann met Kejriwal at the latter's residence in New Delhi and invited him for the ceremony.

Some of the names whose security cover has been lifted, are Manpreet Singh Badal, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Razia Sultana, Pargat Singh, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Sanjay Talwar, Nathu Ram, Darshan Lal, Dharambir Agnihotri, Arun Narang, Tarlochan Singh, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, and Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Speaking on the limited number of cabinet berths, Mann said there can be 17 cabinet ministers besides the CM. "The remaining 75 do not have to get upset. You are all cabinet ministers for me. People have high expectations from our government just the way they expected (cricketer) Sachin Tendulkar to score in every match," he said.

Meanwhile, Mann has appointed Venu Prasad as his Principal Secretary. Prasad is an IAS officer from the 1991 batch.

Mann also met Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Saturday to stake a claim to form the government in the state. Mann was elected as the AAP Legislature Party leader at a meeting of the party MLAs in Mohali on Friday. AAP Punjab in charge, Raghav Chadha also accompanied Mann to the Governor's house.  

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