Bhagwant Mann has the last laugh, to become first AAP CM in Punjab

Born in a humble farming family of Satoj village of Sangrur district in 1973, Mann was a comedian and an actor before jumping into politics. He shot to prominence for his sense of humour in 2008 when he competed in the Great Indian Laughter Challenge on Star Plus. He has also acted in National Award-winning Film 'Main Maa Punjab Dee' directed by Balwant Dullat.

'A loyal son of the soil' 

Mann, who made his political debut in February 2012 by unsuccessfully contesting against former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from Lehra (Sangrur) on Manpreet Badal's People’s Party of Punjab ticket, joined AAP ahead of Lok Sabha elections in 2014 which he won by 2,11,721 votes.

Mann, who remained with the party despite a series of defections in 2021, is arguably AAP's most popular face in poll-bound Punjab. In 2018, he resigned from the post of party president after Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for allegations against him for ‘involvement’ in drug trade. A year later, he was re-appointed as AAP's Punjab chief.

Mann won the 2019 general elections by 1,11,111 votes becoming AAP's only Lok Sabha MP from Punjab.

"He is the son of the soil who defied two Modi waves (2014 and 2019) and stood by the party when his peers defected. He has clearly passed the loyalty test," said a leader who did not want to be named.

Also, read : Can AAP win Punjab, or will it see a repeat of 2017?

Before making him CM face of AAP, Kejriwal had released a phone number seeking suggestions from people on AAP's CM candidate although he preferred Mann for the post. Announcing his name on January 18, Kejriwal said over 93 per cent respondents wanted Mann to be AAP's CM face in Punjab.

The 'alcoholic' tag

Mann has had his share of controversies. He has often been called an alcoholic and his drinking habit has earned him the sobriquet “Pegwant Mann”. But he calls himself just a social drinker.

He has even been accused of entering Parliament drunk. In January 2019, with his mother Harpal Kaur on his side, Mann claimed to have given up alcohol and turned sober. Kaur was by Mann's side today as well. He and his wife Inderpreet Kaur separated in 2015.

In February 2017, prime minister Narendra Modi took a dig at Mann that left Lok Sabha members in laughter. Referring to an old Charvaka poem, Modi said that instead of asking people to drink “ghee (clarified butter)”, Mann would “ask them to drink something else”.

AAP scripted history in 2022 Punjab polls by becoming the only regional party in the country to govern two states  – Delhi, and now Punjab. In the 2017 Punjab assembly polls, when the Congress won a majority by bagging 77 seats and ousted the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party government after 10 years, the AAP emerged the second-largest party winning 20 seats in the 117-member assembly. SAD could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP bagged three seats.

Mann was tipped to be AAP's CM face in 2017 as well but the party didn't announce the name. Many say the decision cost AAP the elections. In December 2021, Mann alleged that a senior BJP leader offered him money and a place in the Union Cabinet to join their party ahead of the Punjab elections.

Also read: Punjab polls: Political parties battling it out on social media platforms as public rallies banned

Known for his oratory, Mann is often seen using his comedy skills to good effect during debates in Lok Sabha sessions, sparking cheer.

"People laugh when they see my face, but I can't imagine how life has changed for me," he said in Mohali on January 18.

Aided by the internal crisis in the ruling Congress and the falling-out of the SAD-BJP alliance over farm laws, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP was being considered as the Congress' main opposition ahead of the election held in single phase on February 20.