Chandigarh: The BJP can breathe easy in Punjab as its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal has created history by becoming the first coalition government to beat anti-incumbency and return to power. The Congress faced a clear defeat and Manpreet Badal's Punjab People's Party even failed to open their account.
The incumbent Akalis led by son Sukhbir and 84-year-old father Prakash Singh Badal are the first to win a second straight term to power in the state and they managed to increase to 56 seats from 2007's tally of 49 seats.
Chief Minister Punjab Parkash Singh Badal said, "I want to thank the people of Punjab for the faith reposed in us again. I don't have the words to express my gratitude to them. They have given us such a big victory. There are two reasons for our victory. We went to the people with the agenda of peace and development in the state. I am happy that we have been able to live up to their expectations."
The disappointment was stark in the Congress camp. Captain Amrinder Singh, the man in charge of the Punjab Congress now has much to answer for.
Not only has the Shiromani Akali Dal beaten anti-incumbency and made history by coming back to power in Punjab, it has put a big question mark over the future of captain Amarinder Singh in state politics.
"We accept our defeat. We will analyse where things went wrong. We could not win, we will do introspection for our defeat. I take full responsibility for the defeat. This result is very surprising. I wish the government well. I hope they will perform well for Punjab. It needs good governance," Singh said.
The other big loser was Manpreet Badal and his Punjab People's Party. Badal walked out of his uncle's party after four years as finance minister but the electoral results put to rest all speculation that Badal could prove a spoiler for the Akalis, the PPP led third from with the left ended the day with a zero balance. Badal himself lost both the seats he contested.
The SAD-BJP alliance on Tuesday created history in Punjab by storming back to power for a second consecutive term, breaking a 46-year-old jinx.
Bucking the anti-incumbency trend, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) won 56 seats while its alliance partner BJP got 12 seats, taking the combine's tally to 68 in the 117-member Assembly in the results declared on Tuesday.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday called a meeting of the party's newly-elected legislators on March 8 while the two allies will also meet on the same day.
On Thursday, a joint meeting of the two allies will also be held before SAD's core committee meeting to firm up details of government formation.
An upheat Sukhbir said the message is loud and clear from the electorate that they would vote for anyone who performs.
The SAD-BJP alliance had won 69 seats in the 2007 election. While SAD has improved its tally from 50, BJP has suffered loss of seven seats from the 19 it earlier held.
The Congress, which was banking on anti-incumbency factor to ride to power, won only 46 seats, only marginally higher than the 42 it got last time. Three others were won by independents.
SAD rebel Manpreet Singh Badal's PPP failed to open its account with the four-time MLA also losing from Gidderba and Maur.
An ecstatic Parkash Singh Badal, who is all set to don the Chief Minister's mantle for a record fifth time, termed it as a vote for "peace and development".
Praising his son -- Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, the 84-year-old Akali patriarch said he played a "big role" in ensuring return of SAD-BJP to power.
Sukhbir Singh said, "The victory showed people's trust in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's leadership and the work done by him. He will be the Chief Minister and a final decision will be taken by the party."
It is the first time since 1966, when Haryana was carved out of Punjab, that any ruling party has returned to power.
A disappointed Congress resigned itself to yet another stint in opposition with its chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh saying he accepted the people's verdict and offered to quit as state PCC chief.
"I will leave it to the Congress President. If she wishes, I will step down," Singh, whose son Raninder Singh lost from Samana, told reporters.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
Comments
0 comment