Bhagwant Mann For Punjab Chief Minister? Supporters Say Will "Force" AAP

Bhagwant Mann, a two-time MP from Sangrur, is among the most popular faces of party. Over the last weeks, he has maintained an uncharacteristic silence but he has been meeting supporters daily for over a week, in a signal to the party's top leaders.

The Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party has sailed into trouble with senior leader Bhagwant Mann's supporters demanding that he be projected as the candidate for the Chief Minister's post. Mr Mann, a two-time MP from Sangrur, is among the most popular faces of party. Over the last weeks, he has maintained an uncharacteristic silence but he has been meeting supporters daily for over a week, in a signal to the party's top leaders. But the top leadership is yet to take a call on the issue. Today, Mr Mann's supporters have gathered outside the house of Harpal Cheema, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. "We want the high command to announce Mr Mann as the candidate for the Chief Minister's post. We faced defeat in the 2017 polls primarily because we didn't announce a candidate for the Chief Minister's post before the election," said senior leader Jagsir Singh from Mansa district.