Parkash Singh Badal resigns after humbling SAD-BJP defeat in Punjab polls

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today submitted his resignation to Governor VP Singh Badnore following his party’s defeat in the assembly polls.

The Punjab cabinet, which met under Badal for the last time, recommended dissolution of the Assembly, paving the way for the constitution of the new legislature.

The 89-year-old Akali leader along with deputy chief minister and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal went to the Raj Bhawan and handed over the resignation letter to the Governor, a Raj Bhawan spokesman said.

Badal, a five-time Chief Minister, retained his Lambi Assembly seat defeating Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh. However Amarinder retained his traditional bastion Patiala seat.

The SAD-BJP alliance finished a poor third at the hustings with the combine managing just 18 seats in the 117-member House. SAD won 15 seats while its ally BJP won three. New entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 20 seats.

Congress by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-thirds majority swept Punjab and ended the ten year regime of the Badals.

Earlier, Badal held a cabinet meeting in which a resolution was passed to dissolve the Assembly.

Among others who attended the meeting include Sukhbir Singh Badal, N K Sharma and Madan Mohan Mittal.

The Punjab Cabinet decided to recommend the dissolution of the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha under the provision of Article 174 (2) (b) of the Constitution, to the Punjab Governor, an official spokesman said.

A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of Council of Ministers chaired by Badal here at Punjab Bhawan, the spokesman said.

“The Cabinet authorised the Chief Minister to send this proposal to the Governor of Punjab for dissolution of 14th Vidhan Sabha with immediate effect,” he said.