Punjab CM hails SAD victory in Khadoor Sahib by-poll

CHANDIGARH : The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today described the results of the Khadoor Sahib by-election as a massive victory of positive agenda of peace, communal harmony, brotherhood and development in the state and said this outcome had laid the foundation stone of an unprecedented SAD-BJP win in the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections. “This is also a forceful mandate against politics of negative and destructive ideas and forces who had sought to destabilize Punjab and hamper its progress through their anti-peace and anti-Punjab activities in recent times. This should serve as a loud message to the negative and divisive forces who tried to inject violence and instability in Punjab,” said Mr. Badal in a statement here this morning.The Chief Minister said that he was surprised by the stand of the Congress and other opposition parties who nominally boycotted this by-election on the ground that would not result in a change in government in the state. Mr. Badal further said that the people have punished them for abandoning the holy town of Khadoor Sahib merely for cheap political and selfish interests. “Do you contest elections only to gain power and run away from the people if there is no chance of your forming a government?” asked Mr. Badal from the leaders of the Congress and other opposition outfits.Meanwhile, Mr. Badal profusely thanked the people for endorsing programs, policies and performance of the SAD-BJP alliance government in Punjab through this most powerful mandate.Mr. Badal also thanked the leaders and workers of SAD for working selflessly and tirelessly for the victory of party’s candidate Mr. Ravinder Singh Brahmpura, who won this seat by defeating his nearest rival-an Independent Bhupinder Singh with a huge margin of 65,664 votes.