Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann admitted to Fortis Mohali with exhaustion, low heart rate

The 51-year-old AAP leader, who was down with viral fever, is under observation; doctors said his vitals have stabilised, a year after he was last hospitalised with a bacterial infection.

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was hospitalised on Friday evening after he complained of exhaustion and low heart rate, a statement issued by a hospital in Mohali said.

It said that on arrival, the vitals of Mann (51) were assessed and stabilised.

"Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was brought to Fortis Hospital, Mohali, after he complained of exhaustion and low heart rate. On arrival, his vitals were assessed and have since been stabilised," the hospital statement said.

Mann is currently under observation and his pulse rate has improved, it said.

"Our medical team continues to closely monitor his condition," said the statement.

Earlier, Mann was stated to be down with viral fever, sources had said.

He was taken to Fortis Hospital in Mohali after his condition did not improve by evening.

Following news of his illness, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal visited Mann on Thursday to check on his health at his official residence.

Kejriwal arrived in Punjab on Wednesday evening to assess the flood situation and was originally scheduled to visit the affected areas alongside the chief minister.

However, in Mann's absence, Kejriwal proceeded to visit the flood-hit areas in Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district on Thursday.

A year ago, too, Mann, who was diagnosed with a bacterial infection, had been admitted to Fortis Mohali for a few days.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the meeting of the Punjab cabinet, which was to be chaired by Mann, was postponed after the chief minister fell ill.

The meeting was expected to focus on the ongoing relief and rescue operations in the state, which has been severely affected by floods.

Punjab has been reeling under severe floods, with the death toll rising to 43 on Thursday.