As on 1 March 2018, who was serving as the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Punjab?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests factual knowledge of state level political leadership in India with a specific date reference. Chief Ministers change over time, so exams sometimes anchor the question to a particular date or year. Punjab saw a change in government after the 2017 Assembly elections, and the question asks about who held the Chief Minister office on 1 March 2018, which is within that term.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The state concerned is Punjab in India.
• The date reference is 1 March 2018.
• Four names are provided as options.
• Only one of these actually held the Chief Minister post on that date.

Concept / Approach:
In the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, the Indian National Congress secured a majority and formed the government. Captain Amarinder Singh was sworn in as Chief Minister in March 2017. He continued in office well beyond 1 March 2018. Parkash Singh Badal had been Chief Minister earlier as leader of the previous government but had left office after the electoral defeat. Navjot Singh Sidhu joined Punjab politics as a minister but not as Chief Minister. Naveen Mahindra is not a known Chief Minister of Punjab. Therefore, Captain Amarinder Singh is the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the outcome of the Punjab Assembly elections held in early 2017. Step 2: Remember that the Indian National Congress formed the government and Captain Amarinder Singh became Chief Minister. Step 3: Note that the question date 1 March 2018 falls within the same assembly term. Step 4: Check the options for Captain Amarinder Singh and confirm that he is listed. Step 5: Choose Captain Amarinder Singh as the correct option.

Verification / Alternative check:
News reports and official state government records from 2017 and 2018 clearly identify Captain Amarinder Singh as the Chief Minister of Punjab. Parkash Singh Badal is mentioned as former Chief Minister and leader of the previous government. Navjot Singh Sidhu appears in the context of ministerial responsibilities such as tourism, but not as head of the government. Since the date specified is well before any later leadership change, this confirms that the correct answer is Captain Amarinder Singh.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Parkash Singh Badal was Chief Minister during earlier terms but left office after the 2017 election defeat of his alliance. Navjot Singh Sidhu served in the Punjab government as a cabinet minister, not as Chief Minister. Naveen Mahindra does not correspond to any known Chief Minister of Punjab and appears only as a distractor. Picking any of these names would contradict the electoral timeline and official records for that period.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may remember Parkash Singh Badal as a long serving Chief Minister and select his name without paying attention to the date mentioned in the question. Others may be influenced by the media visibility of Navjot Singh Sidhu and assume he held the top post. The key is to link the leadership to the correct election year and verify whether that individual headed the government at the specific time mentioned. Carefully reading the date helps avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
On 1 March 2018, the Chief Minister of Punjab was Captain Amarinder Singh.