The two-day brainstorming session of the SAD-BJP combine concluded while sounding a bugle for the ensuing parliamentary polls, and with a promise of holding more such sammelans in future.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, in fact, decided to have next Chintan Shivir at Shri Huzoor Sahib, Nanded Sahib, before his son, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal can decide, that too in sharp contrast with the present venue.
Badal declared that the countdown for lok Sabha elections and an imminent change at the Centre had already begun.
Sukhbir said: “Elections could be held sometime around September this year. We are all geared up for the battle and are eagerly awaiting the day. SAD-BJP will sweep Punjab and NDA is all set to form a government at the Centre.”
Responding to a query whether SAD would support Gujarat Chief Minister Narinder Modi as NDA’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Badal said: “We are with the NDA and would go by the decision of the BJP in the matter.” Sukhbir also echoed Badal’s views, adding, “The BJP is the dominant partner in the NDA and the SAD would respect their prerogative in the matter.”
Badal also ruled out any re-look at the seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP in Punjab.
“We have a complete understanding as alliance partners as ours is not merely a political tie-up but a social and emotional bonding for peace and communal harmony in the Sate,” he added.
Highlighting prominent gains to have emerged from the two-day sammelan, Sukhbir said that the two parties had come to understand better how to further speed up their responses to the people’s aspirations and to further consolidate their close relationship with the masses by fine-tuning their policies, strategies and implementation net-work.
“We have been possible to assess, re-assess and re-evaluate our responses and performances in meeting challenges posed by such menaces as drugs, corruption, people-bureaucracy and politician-bureaucracy equations,” he added