About 2.8 lakh people sent their preferences within four hours after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday issued a number where people could send the name of the Punjab chief ministerial candidate of their choice.
Earlier today, Kejriwal announced that people can message and call on the number 70748 70748 to send their suggestions on who should be the Chief Ministerial candidate from AAP for the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls by January 17 till 5 pm.
"This is happening in India, probably for the first time after 1947 that a party is asking the public to tell us who should be the CM face. By calling, or through WhatsApp messaging on the number 70748 70748, you can give your suggestions by 5 pm on January 17. Based on the suggestions, we will choose our CM candidate. My personal choice is not important. Public choice is important," he said at a press conference in Chandigarh.
"Bhagwant Mann is very dear to me. He is like my younger brother. I was also sitting in the room saying that we should make Bhagwant Mann the Chief Ministerial candidate, but he said that no, we should ask people. This ritual of deciding the Chief Ministerial candidate in closed doors should be stopped," Kejriwal said.
"It is almost certain that AAP will come to power in Punjab. I want to request all my volunteers to give one last push. I want to request Punjab voters to give lots of votes. We should win more than 80 seats instead of 60 seats," he added.
Polling for the assembly polls in Punjab is scheduled to be held on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.
( With inputs from ANI )
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