Pal Ka Maan: The Hindu Editorial on Punjab’s New Chief Minister and the AAP Model

Bhagwant Singh Mannuwho Sworn in as the 28th Chief Minister of Punjab on WednesdayThe content of his politics and governance ambitions is summed up in three slogans – Inquilab Zindabada call for revolution; Sat Shri AkaliThe call of the Sikhs for the victory of truth; And, Long live Mother India, An exquisite combination of regional and national sentiments, claims of high morality amid the fall and made the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) the overwhelming choice of the voters of Punjab. The party won 92 seats out of 117, overthrowing the feudal families that had crippled the state, even as its people plunged into despair and despair. Many of your MLAs are from very simple backgrounds. Comedian-turned-politician Mr. Mann has taken over a painful state at the age of 48, crying out for a new life. Its agricultural sector is flourishing economically and ecologically. Its youth are going into the crowd, and substance abuse is corrupting society. The state’s finances are in trouble. Mr. Mann has inherited this mess, and people have trusted him to do the job of saving him. As noted by the new CM, there is no time to give up. He has made a good start by announcing an ambitious anti-corruption mechanism and calling upon AAP workers to be humble and close to the people.

Mann’s performance as Chief Minister will also be seen outside Punjab. As a border state with a volatile history, there are unique governance challenges. With little experience in government, his job ends – quickly learning the ropes. They will also be monitored because AAP is claiming to be the only viable challenger to the BJP at the national level. The party has been in power in Delhi for seven years, but Punjab is the first full-fledged state to come under its command. If he can take it further, and well, at the national level his party’s claims will be bolstered; If that falls short, the ambitions of AAP and its founder-leader and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will suffer. Since his performance would be so closely tied to the fate of his leader – whose feet he met after the Punjab victory – Mr. Mann would be under scrutiny from that angle as well. Meanwhile, the implementation of AAP’s election promises will add a new burden to the state’s finances. For a distressed population, AAP’s Delhi model, which it promises to replicate in Punjab, will be comforting. Mr Mann is a breath of fresh air, and a ray of hope on many levels. However, they face the challenge of running a government and maintaining politics without any ideological framework on the platform of corruption-free governance and high-cost welfare schemes. The AAP government in Punjab will be a test for the party and if it succeeds, a model that others can try to copy across the country.