Chandigarh May 21 – The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today thanked the people of Punjab for once again endorsing their mandate in favour of SAD-BJP alliance by giving a thumping verdict in their favour in the just concluded Zila Parishad elections in the state. “It is a victory of constructive politics based on a vision of peace and communal harmony and on service of the people for greater progress and development in the state. It is a referendum on our performance as government. It is at the same time yet another defeat for politics of cheap political ethics, negative propaganda and destructive slogans such as ‘teaching a lesson’ to the opponents. The Congress has faltered yet again in assessing the mood of the people who want a positive agenda for development and disapprove of unseemly confrontation among their leaders,” said the Chief Minister in a statement here.
Mr. Badal also thanked the leaders and rank and file of SAD-BJP alliance for ensuring the victory of its candidates through a peaceful and dignified democratic conduct. “Our workers exercised great restraint the face of grave provocations from the Congress who talked a language of violence all through the campaign.
The Chief Minister also thanked the entire election machinery and the security staff for ensuring a peaceful , smooth , free and fair election in the state.” It was a difficult task in the face of provocative stance of the Congress but the officials acted with admirable combination of restraint, firmness and tact to steer through the challenge.
Mr. Badal regretted that all through the campaign, the Congress tried to whip up passions, gave open incitements to violence and tried to play its old card of divide and rule for cheap electoral gains.”All of this has been decisively rejected by the people once again,” said Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister described the sweeping victory of the alliance partners “as forceful mandate in favour of the positive work done at the ground level and for a responsive political culture represented by the SAD-BJP. It is also an equally forceful rejection of needless confrontation and violent idiom indulged in by the Congress leaders. People have spoken forcefully to expose the politics of lies and false propaganda indulged in by our opponents.
The Chief Minster however said that victory brings its own burden of responsibility with it and assured the people of Punjab that his government would work even harder for the progress of the state and welfare of its people. “The overwhelming and forceful victory with which the people of the state have honoured us has filled our hearts and minds with even greater humility and our sense of responsibility towards them has gone further up. Each victory adds to our responsibility and commitment and I am deeply conscious of what people expect from us,” said the Chief Minister in a statement here, adding that his government would continue to work towards the fulfillment of all the expectations that people had from it.