Punjab News Line, By Naresh Kumar Sharma Chandigarh: The SAD-BJP
alliance on Friday staked claim to form the government in Punjab. Following this, Governor of Punjab Shivraj Patil invited the alliance for swearing in on March 14. Earlier at a joint meeting of SAD-BJP MLA legislators,Parkash Singh Badal was elected as their leader which means the he would become the Chief Minister for a record fifth time. Badal by becoming Chief Minsiter will equal the record of former Cheife Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu. The name of Parkash Singh Badala was proposed by BJP state president Ashwani Sharma and
seconded by SAD President Sukhbir Badal. Among the BJP leaders present at the meeting included in charge of Punjab affairs Shanta Kumar and leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley. Following the meeting, Parkash Singh Badal accompanied by his son and SAD president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, BJP Legislature Party Leader Bhagat Chuni Lal, Ashwani Sharma, Shanta Kumar and SAD General Secretary Daljeet Singh Cheema headed off straight to the Punjab Raj Bhawan and gave a copy of the resolution electing Badal as the leader of SAD-BJP combine legislature Party to Patil. The developments moved very fast with Governor Shiv aj Patil then handing over a letter inviting Badal to form the government. Badal would be sworn in as Chief Minister on March 14 at Chapar Chiri Banda Bahadur Memorial in Ajitgarh (Mohali). Badal also stated that SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal would again be the Deputy Chief Minister. He thanked alliance partner BJP emphasising that the two allies had very profound relationship. He said that he was aware of various challenges before him as the government has to come up to expectations and aspirations of the people. He also asserted that assembly polls were semi-final in run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections adding that both parties would now work with great determination and hard work y to win all 13 Lok Sabha seats. He also emphasised that when he became Chief Minister for the first time in 1969, he was the youngest CM of the country and interestingly, he would now be the oldest to hold the post. Source: Punjab News Line
