Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) named Bhagwant Mann as its chief ministerial candidate for Punjab, said the party chief Arvind Kejriwal in a dramatic reveal of the results of a televote in which people were asked to phone in their choice.

Bhagwant Mann, a two-time AAP MP from Sangrur, received more than 93 percent of the votes through phone and WhatsApp, Kejriwal told reporters. More than 21 lakh people participated in the vote, AAP said.

Around 3 percent votes were in the name of Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, Mr Kejriwal shared. Some even chose Mr Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, but those votes were considered invalid, reported NDTV.

"It is clear that AAP will win the Punjab election. In a way, the person chosen as the Chief Ministerial candidate will be the next Chief Minister of Punjab," Mr Kejriwal said at an auditorium in Mohali.

The auditorium erupted in cheers and slogan shouting as a montage on Bhagwant Mann played out on a giant screen.

"People laughed when they see my face. But now they cry and say, save us," Mr Mann, a standup comic, said.

Punjab will vote on February 20 and the results will be declared on March 10.  

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