Bhagwant Mann

Bhagwant Singh Mann (born on 17 October 1973) is an Indian politician designated to be the 17th Chief Minister of Punjab. He is a former actor, comedian and satirist.

Since May 2014, he is the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, representing Sangrur constituency, Punjab

Early life

Mann was born in a Sikh family on 17 October, 1973 to father Mohinder Singh and mother Harpal Kaur in Satoj village of Sangrur district, Punjab, India. He pursued his graduation from Shaheed Udham Singh Government College, Sunam.

Acting career

Mann participated in youth comedy festivals and inter-college competitions. He won two gold medals at a competition at the Punjabi University, Patiala for the Shaheed Udham Singh Government College, Sunam.

Mann developed comedy routines about typical Indian issues such as politics, business and sport. His first comedy album was with Jagtar Jaggi. Together, they made a television program called Jugnu Kehnda Hai for Alpha ETC Punjabi. Ten years later, they parted ways. Mann then formed a comedy partnership with Rana Ranbir. Together, they made the television program, Jugnu Mast Mast for Alpha ETC Punjabi. In 2006, Mann and Jaggi reunited and toured Canada and England with their show, No Life With Wife.

In 2008, Mann competed in the Great Indian Laughter Challenge on Star Plus which increased his audience.

Bhagwant Mann also acted in National Award winning Film ” Main Maa Punjab Dee” Directed by Balwant Dullat 

Mann acted in Jugnu Hazir Hai on MH One.

Political career

In early 2011, Mann joined the People’s Party of Punjab. In 2012, he unsuccessfully contested assembly elections in the Lehra constituency.

In March 2014, Mann joined the Aam Aadmi Party to contest elections in the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency. He fought his first Lok Sabha election against former union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and won by 211,721 votes. He was also the convener of AAP Punjab but resigned from the convener post after Arvind Kejriwal tendered an unconditional apology to Bikram Singh Majithia over drug mafia case. In 2017, he contested assembly elections in Jalalabad against Sukhbir Singh Badal and Ravneet Singh Bittu. He lost the elections to Badal by 18,500 votes.

In 2019, during a party rally at Barnala, Mann announced that he had denounced alcohol and swore never to touch it again, after opposition parties criticized him over the issue.

Member of Parliament

First term (2014–2019)

In May 2014, he was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from Sangrur Lok Sabha Constituency after defeating Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa from Shiromani Akali Dal. He got 533,237 total votes and won election with a margin of 211,721 votes.

Parliamentary Committee assignments

• 1 September 2014 – 25 May 2019: Member, Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.
  • Member of the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation
• 11 December 2014 – 25 May 2019 : Member, Joint Committee on Offices of Profit

Second term (2019 – till date)

In May 2019, he was re-elected to 17th Lok Sabha from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 Indian general election. He won his second term in the Parliament with a margin of 110,211 votes. He got 413,561 votes against Kewal Singh Dhillon from Indian National Congress and Parminder Singh Dhindsa from Shiromani Akali Dal. He is only Member of parliament from Aam Aadmi Party in the lower house (Lok Sabha) of the parliament.

On 18 January 2022, he was chosen as the Chief Minister of Punjab candidate from the Aam Aadmi Party for the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election. The selection was reportedly done by polling from the public and the results were declared by the party chief Arvind Kejriwal.

On 9 February, Mann raised issues about farmers in the Lok Sabha. The payment to sugarcane farmers for the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 had been pending. He appealed for clearing the due early along with interest. He asked for compensation for the losses in cotton farmers due to the pest attack. he asked that the Union government should recognize the farmers who died during the 2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest.

Parliamentary Committee assignments

• 13 September 2019 onwards: Member, Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution
  • Member, Consultative Committee, Committee on External Affairs

In 2021, the Parliamentary Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution had submitted a report to the Union Government recommending implementation of the Essential Commodities Act, 2020. The Essential Commodities Act, 2020 was one among the three controversial 2020 Indian agriculture acts that led to the year long 2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest. Mann publicly released his statement that was made during the Committee meeting on 5 June 2020. In his statement, Mann had raised concerns that these farm laws would increase hoarding. Removal of onions and tomato from the list of Essential Commodities, would lead to price rise due to illegal stockpiling to increase the price and then selling at higher prices. This will create hardships for the poor. He also raised the issue of hoarding of potatoes.

Chief Minister of Punjab

On 18 January 2022, he was chosen as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate for the Chief Minister of Punjab in the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election, based on a public poll in which AAP claims 93% of the voters wanted Bhagwant Maan as the chief ministerial candidate.

On 10 March 2022, Mann won from Dhuri Assembly Constituency with a big margin of 58,206 votes. After the announcement of the legislative results the Aam Aadmi Party gained a full majority in the state. Under his leadership, AAP had won 92 seats out of 117 in Punjab Assembly Elections 2022 and will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Punjab. Arvind Kejriwal re-iterated saying that Mann would swear-in as the chief minister of the state soon. Mann also announced that he would be taking the oath as the chief minister at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. During his speech after the election results, he announced that Bhagat Singh and B.R. Ambedkar’s photos would be in the government office instead of the former Chief Minister. 

Mann ministry is the upcoming Cabinet of Punjab headed by the next Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann. The new Punjab government is scheduled to have its oath-taking ceremony at Khatkar Kalan village on 16 March, when the term of the Fifteenth Punjab Legislative Assembly expires. On 11 March 2022, he was elected as the leader of the AAP legislative party. Even before taking the oath, as his first executive order Mann withdrew police security from 122 former MLAs and ministers. He stated that the police force was needed for security of the people and not VIPs. The security of former CMs was continued due to the larger security threat they face.

Charitable acts

Mann began a non-government organisation, the “Lok Lehar Foundation” to aid children with physical deformities as a result of pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab.

Personal life

He is a comic poet who writes political satire. He is also a volleyball player.

Discography

Comedy

Year	Album	Record label
2013	Kulfi Garma Garam 2	Amar Audio
2009	Just Laugh Baki Maaf	M Series
2007	Haas-Haas Ke	T-Series
2005	Bhagwant Mann Most Wanted	Creative Audio Productions
2004	Kee Main Jhooth Boliya	T-Series
2003	Sawdhan! Agge Bhagwant Mann	T-Series
2002	Bhagwant Mann Full Speed	T-Series
2001	Bhagwant Mann Non-Stop	T-Series
2001	Bhagwant Mann Hazir Ho	T-Series
2000	Sadi Billi Sanu Miaun	T-Series
2000	Bhagwant Mann 420	Sun Music
1999	Lallu Kare Kawaliya	T-Series
1998	Gustakhi Maaf	T-Series
1997	Rukawat Ke Liye Khed Hai	T-Series
1997	Khariya Khariya	Tips
1996	Kursi Rani	Tips
1995	Jaagde Raho	Peritone
1995	Dhakka Start	T-Series
1995	Panj Duni Veeh	T-Series/MTL/AMC
1994	Koko De Bachhe Mummy Daddy Murdabaad	T-Series AMC United States
1994	Bol Madaari Bol	Peritone
1994	Mithiya Mircha	T-Series MTL Canada
1993	Kulfi Garma Garam	T-Series MTL Canada
1992	Gobhi Diye Kachiye Vaparanay	Creative Music Company

Musical

Year	Album	Record label
2011	Rangle Punjab Nu Bachayin
2010	Aawaaz – The Voice	Point Zero
2001	Dam Lai Lo	T-Series
2000	Jattan Da Munda Gaun Lagia	Sun Music

Filmography

Year	Film
2015	22g Tussi Ghaint Ho
2014	Police in Pollywood
2014	Moga to Melbourne Via Chandigarh
2011	Hero Hitler in Love
2010	Sukhmani – Hope for Life
2010	Ekam – Son of Soil
2007	Apne
2001	Sikandera
1998	” Main Maa Punjab Dee”
1996	Sukha
1995	Nain Preeto De
1994	Tabaahi
1994	Kachehri

Videography

Year	Album	Record label
2011	Chappa Chappa Charkha Chale	Eagle
2010	Jhanda Amli Kachahri Vich	Eagle
2009	Just Laugh Baki Maaf	M Series
2008	My Name is Mann	Eagle
2007	Pappu Da Dhaba	Eagle
2006	Punjabi Bluff Master	Eagle
2006	Pappu Baneya Neta	Eagle
2006	Pappu Bhaa Ji M.B.B.S.	Eagle
2005	Pappu Pass Ho Gaya	Eagle
2004	Kee Main Jhooth Boliya	T-Series
2003	Sawdhan Agge Bhagwant Mann	T-Series
2002	Bhagwant Mann Full Speed	T-Series
2002	Bhagwant Mann Non-Stop Vol 2	T-Series
2001	Bhagwant Mann Non-Stop Vol 1	T-Series
1999	Bhagwant Mann Hazir Ho	T-Series