Punjab Election 2022: 'Do not lose hope' - AAP's CM face Bhagwant Mann's first words (WATCH)

Just over a month before Punjab goes to polls, Bhagwant Mann was on Tuesday (January 18) named as the chief ministerial candidate of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Speaking at an event where his name was declared for the post of CM if the Arvind Kejriwal-led party wins Punjab Assembly Election 2022 to be held on February 20, Mann asked people of the state to not lose hope. He also promised the youth of Punjab that they would not have to leave the state in search of jobs outside.

"Do not lose hope; Punjab knows how to overcome difficulties," the Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur constituency said, adding that AAP has given him a huge responsibility, and his first step would be to form the government in the state.

While announcing Mann's candidature, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal revealed that the party received more than 21 lakh responses from people during its campaign to elect its chief minister face. The Delhi chief minister described Mann as his 'younger brother' and added that 93 per cent of the respondents, apart from those choosing him, picked the 48-year-old former comedian.

Born in Satauj village of Sangrur to a family of farmers, Mann completed his graduation from Udham Singh Government College in Sunam. Mann established himself as a comedian after bagging two gold medals for his college at a competition held at Punjab University, Patiala. He teamed up with Jagtar Jagga to bring out his first comedy album, and together they produced 'Jugnu Kehnda Hai' - a TV programme that satirised politics, administration and various public issues. Mann also paired with Rana Ranbir for 'Jugnu Mast Mast'.

In 2008, Mann competed in the reality show 'Great Indian Laughter Challenge that won him national fame. He also acted in the National Award-winning movie 'Main Maa Punjab Dee'. Mann kick-started his political career in 2012 with Manpreet Badal's People's Party of Punjab. However, he lost his maiden assembly election from Lehra. In 2014, he joined AAP and won the Sangrur parliamentary seat by 2,11,721 votes. During the 2017 Punjab state election, Mann was pitted against Akali President Sukhbir Badal from Jalalabad, but the 48-year-old lost by 18,500 votes.

In March 2018, Mann resigned from his post as President of AAP's Punjab unit, following Kejriwal's apology to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for levelling allegations of his involvement in the drug trade. "I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab, but my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an 'Aam Aadmi' of Punjab," Mann had tweeted.

Mann returned to the AAP fold as the state's party president in January 2019. During the 2019 state elections, he won the Sangrur parliamentary seat again by a margin of 1,11,111 votes. Mann, who is known for his trademark 'basanti' turban, is separated from his wife, who lives in the United States with their two children, a son and a daughter.

Also Read | Punjab Election 2022: Behind Congress HQ's 'Asli Chief Minister' message for Navjot Singh Sidhu

Also Read | Punjab Election 2022: AAP in driver's seat as Congress goes downhill, says new opinion poll