chandigarh:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has appointed Raghav Chadha – Aam Aadmi Party’s member of Rajya Sabha – as Chairman of the State Government Advisory Committee. He will oversee the “conception and implementation of pro-people initiatives by the AAP government in Punjab and advise the government on financial matters, the Chief Minister’s Office said.
In a statement, the Chief Minister’s Office said Mr Chadha is a chartered accountant by profession and has worked with some of the largest companies in the world. He has also served as a financial adviser to Delhi’s finance minister, Manish Sisodia.
“His strenuous efforts have helped Delhi become a revenue surplus state and thereby set it on the path of high economic growth,” the statement said.
However, the Delhi-based leader’s appointment comes amid allegations that Bhagwant Mann’s government is being run remotely from Delhi.
AAP recently lost Sangrur – the Lok Sabha seat that Mr Mann left after he took over as Chief Minister. Not only did this rob the party of the only Lok Sabha seat it had, it also showed a sudden lack of ground support for the party.
Shortly after the results were announced, the Chief Minister tweeted: “The decision of the people of Sangrur is on the head. I sincerely work day and night for the progress and prosperity of Punjab and will work harder. I am your son and will leave no stone unturned to brighten the future of your families.”
The statement from the Chief Minister’s Office today underlined that Mr Chadha has his roots in Punjab. Hailing from Jalandhar, when his family moved to Delhi a few decades ago for job opportunities, Raghav Chadha had remained firmly connected to his roots and acted as a catalyst in revamping Delhi’s Punjabi Academy, promoting the Punjabi language and culture in the national capital”.
Mr Chadha recently attended Mr Mann’s wedding where he declared himself as the organizer. “I’ve been the organizer… It’s a happy event for the Mann family after a long time,” he told DailyExpertNews.