Remain humble in victory, do not get into FIR culture with opponents: Mann to his flock

Speaking to the MLAs here after being elected leader of the party’s legislature group, Mann said the MLAs should not forget that they are also the leaders of those who did not vote for them.

“I want to request. We should not be arrogant. We should not go to anyone’s house and challenge him. Tell this to your volunteers also. You are also the MLAs of those who have not votes for you. This government has been made by all Punjabis,” he said.

“Don’t get into ‘parcha’ culture (filing FIRs against opponents). Just forgive them,” he added.
Mann, who had just returned from Delhi after meeting the National Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, said that many schemes and guidelines will come from Delhi for implementation in Punjab. “We will also do it. A good advise can come from anywhere, it can come from Madhya Pradesh also. Many a advice will go from us also. Our aim is country first. We have to put country first. Bring ideas to me,” Mann said.
The CM designate also advised the MLAs to spend more time in their constituencies and not in the state Capital Chandigarh.

“There is another important issue on which I will be very strict. I used to say this to earlier elected MLAs too. Stay in Chandigarh for least possible time. We have to go and do work at those places where we went and asked for votes,” he said.

Mann said that while asking for votes the candidates go door to door and in village gatherings. “Now after winning we cannot say to people to come to Chandigarh to meet us. The government will function from villages, wards and mohallas. Go sit in villages and meet people. Have tea, speak to people about their problems, take officials with you. People are fed up of making rounds of government offices. If any officer refuses to go tell him to go to Chandigarh,” he said.

He said the people of the state are devoid of respect from the official system. “Today when I was travelling from Sangrur, people had gathered on the way at Patran and garlanded me. One person said a very touching thing. He said “Mann saab assi marrey hoye lok haan, saanu jiyunda kar dao” (we are dead people, make us alive again). No one is being given respect. Anyone can be humiliated any government official, anyone policemen can slap anyone before his family,” he said.

He said that there were limited number of cabinet berths and those who get left out should not feel hurt.

“We can make 17 CMs (ministers) but the rest of 75 MLAs should not feel bad. The expectations of people are very high. Sachin Tendulkar is expected to hit a century in every match just so people expect from
AAP govt. We will have to work day wise bot month or year wise. We have to work on priority,” he said.
Mann said the message of Arvind Kejriwal is that everyone has to work towards improving schools, colleges, industry and hospitals and everyone will be given responsibility.

Earlier, welcoming the MLAs, Mann said their names will be written in golden letters. He also informed them that on March 13 Arvind Kejriwal will come to Punjab to express his thanks and will pay his respects at Golden Temple.

“On March 16 will be a historic day when CM and ministers will take oath will not happen in a Raj Bhawan or cricket stadium but at the village of martyrs in Khatkar Kalan You have achieved great victory. Many of you have won with big margins and many with lesser. There will be no discrimination against anyone for having won with lesser margins. Those who used to call themselves khaandaani politicians and who thought no one could win but them, they have all been made to sit at home. Because the public can put a person on the skies and them bring him down to earth,” he said.

Mann also gave the examples of Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Bikram Singh Majithia, Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon, Capt Amarinder, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal lost, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Raj Kumar Verka who lost the elections. “Who defeated them? Not Bhagwant Mann or any of us. The public defeated them,” he said ending his speech with Inquilab Zindabad.