SAD-BJP alliance firm and everlasting: Parkash Singh Badal

SANGRUR: Amid reports of estranged relations between ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BJP, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today described the alliance as "firm and everlasting."

Even as the two political outfits ruling the state for the past seven years have been seen on several occasions voicing divergent views on many issues, Badal said that the SAD-BJP alliance is firm and everlasting.

The overall development and progress of the state would get a major fillip with the formation of NDA government at centre, he said.

Addressing a gathering during a state-level function to mark 30th death anniversary of Akali leader Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, the Chief Minister vowed to make Punjab a leading state of the country with the proactive help of the NDA government at the centre.

Badal said that the state has got key projects like AIIMS, Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and HRIDAY status for holy city of Amritsar.

Patting his son Sukhbir Singh Badal for "revolutionizing" the Power department of the state, the Chief Minister said that due to the concerted efforts of the Deputy Chief Minister Punjab was today a power surplus state.

Lashing out at the Congress, the Chief Minister, while squarely blaming it for meting out step-motherly treatment to the state, said that the Industry and Agriculture of Punjab was ruined due to regressive policies of the Congress during its six decade-long rule in the country.

He said that the Congress had never given any big ticket industrial project to the state during their rule and had rather thwarted the attempt of industrialization in the state by giving incentives to the neighboring states.

"The Punjabis could never forgive the Congress party as it has irrelevantly meddled in their social, political, economic and even the religious affairs," added Badal.

While paying rich tributes to Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, the Chief Minister said that the real homage to this great son of soil would be to uphold the hard-earned peace, amity, brotherhood and communal harmony in the state.