CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has viral fever and could not accompany Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on a tour of flood-affected areas in the state. Punjab is reeling under its worst floods in nearly four decades, with rising losses of lives and livelihoods. In the past 24 hours, six more people have died, taking the death toll to 43, while 247 additional villages have been inundated.
Mann, who reported high fever in the morning, was advised rest by doctors. Sources said the CM is recuperating at his residence. Mann was reportedly feeling better by the evening, and there are no plans to defer his cabinet meeting on Friday.Later, Kejriwal, accompanied by AAP state president Aman Arora, called on the chief minister at his residence to enquire about his health. Afterward, Kejriwal proceeded with his tour, visiting flood-affected areas of Sultanpur Lodhi. Kejriwal arrived in Punjab on Wednesday evening to assess the situation, though an initial plan to visit Patiala district was later revised.It is Kejriwal’s first visit to Punjab after the floods escalated due to swollen Beas and Ravi rivers. AAP leader Manish Sisodia, and Rajya Sabha MPs Sandeep Pathak and Raghav Chadha, have also toured flood-affected areas over the past few days.Over the past two weeks, Mann visited several flood-hit areas to assess damage and oversee relief efforts. On Tuesday, he toured Gatti Rajo Ke in Ferozepur district by boat and also visited other affected areas in Ferozepur and Amritsar.Despite his illness, Mann continued to post updates on his X account. In a post, he announced a gazetted officer would be deployed to each flood-affected village to ensure direct contact between the administration and the residents for a swift resolution of their problems.