Punjab Victory marks revival of Congress: Navjot Singh Sidhu

Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore today dissolved the state Assembly after outgoing Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal submitted his resignation to him.

Congress’ chief ministerial candidate said that he was committed to fulfil all the promises made by the party in its election manifesto.

Congress candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla led on the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by over 1.70 lakh votes.

When asked about his nephew, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been accused of being involved in a drug racket, the soon-to-be CM said a proper investigation will be conducted in the matter. He will be sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Punjab on 16 March. He nearly joined the AAP, but changed his mind at the eleventh hour and landed in Congress fold just before the polls.

A party needs 59 seats to gain a simple majority in the Punjab assembly.

A close contest was also witnessed in Batala where SAD’s Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal beat Congress’ Ashwani Sekhri by 485 votes. This is a big question whether Congress will form government in 10 years or AAP will form its first government. A beaming Amarinder, a 1965 war veteran, thanked the people of the state for their overwhelming support, stating: “People voted out Akalis, who destroyed Punjab and rejected the AAP, who came more like a summer storm”.

Good news for birthday boy Capt Amarinder Singh as Congress is looking on course for a majority in Punjab, early counting trends indicated. The ones coloured grey went either to the AAP or others. A by-election was held along with the assembly polls.

The new Punjab assembly will have a two-pronged opposition with the Aam Aadmi Party sharing the benches with its bete noir Shiromani Akali Dal.

Sources in the Congress said establishing the rule of law and lifting the morale of the state police would top the new government’s priority list along with curbing the drug menace, for which a task force would be set up.