Results the last rites of Congress: Punjab CM

Chandigarh, May 19: As the Congress conceded power in Assam and Kerala and failed to wrest West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday rubbed it in, saying the election results were "the last rites of the Congress as a political party".

"The final rituals will be performed in Punjab next year," Badal said.

"A major lesson from these assembly elections is that the people favour parties with a strong ideology. That is why in both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, regional parties performed strongly. The trend is certain to continue in Punjab also, where the SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) is the strongest regional party," Badal said.

The chief minister said the poll results had shattered the myth of anti-incumbency for parties in power.

Talking of polls to the 117-member Punjab assembly scheduled for early next year, the Akali veteran said: "The opposition parties in Punjab are destined to remain in the opposition for a long time to come."

He said their mindset is "anti-people" since they believe that the people have punished them and rewarded the SAD-BJP alliance with mass support.

"This vengeful attitude towards the people is going to ruin both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party."

--IANS

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