Mohali, Sept. 6 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who was admitted to a private hospital here on Friday night with a high fever and exhaustion, is reported to be in stable condition and showing signs of recovery, official sources said Saturday. Doctors noted that his vitals had improved, and he may be discharged in the coming days.
Mann had been suffering from fever for three days, accompanied by fatigue and a low heart rate, believed to be the result of a bacterial infection. A senior official from the Chief Minister’s Office suggested the illness may have been contracted from drinking contaminated water during his visits to flood-hit areas earlier this week. “He fell sick on Wednesday evening. Initially, he was being treated at his residence by a team of doctors, but was rushed to the hospital after his condition did not improve,” the official said.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who met the Chief Minister on Saturday, confirmed that Mann would remain under medical observation for another one or two days. “The CM will continue to be hospitalised for 1–2 days and will be working from the hospital,” Sisodia said.
The Chief Minister’s illness forced the cancellation of a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday evening. The meeting, announced on September 3, was intended to review the state’s response to widespread flooding that has left 43 people dead and submerged crops on 4.3 lakh acres across Punjab.
Mann had also been expected to join AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on a visit to Sultanpur Lodhi on Thursday but was unable to travel. Kejriwal later visited the flood-affected area with Punjab AAP chief Aman Arora, after first calling on Mann to check on his health.
Meanwhile, party leaders dismissed speculation linking the timing of Mann’s hospitalisation to the escape of AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, who fled police custody on September 2. Pathanmajra, who has claimed a family connection to the Chief Minister’s wife, is still at large.
