CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal Thursday thanked the people of Punjab for the  successful  conclusion  of the democratic process in the  just concluded  Zia Parishad and Block Samitis  Elections in the State. In a statement here,  Badal  described the successful completion of the pole process as " an outstanding victory for democratic spirit and a powerful  vindication of the SAD-BJP commitment to value based politics.

The Chief Minister  said that in a large exercise of this nature, it was  really an outstanding triumph  for everyone desirous of peace and democracy" in the state.  Badal said that the administration was successful in preventing unlawful elements from sabotaging the democratic  process.  "Although I am personally highly satisfied at the trust reposed once again by the people of Punjab in the performance of the SAD-BJP Government, I am even more pleased that this was made possible in a free and fair exercise of democratic will of the people"

Badal especially thanked the workers and leaders of the SAD-BJP combine for ensuring the support of the people in favour of  policies of   SAD-BJP alliance.  He said that for the third time in a row, the people of Punjab have placed their trust in the policies and programmes of  the Combine.  He said that the assembly elections followed  by  the Corporations poll and now the Zila Parishad and Block Samities elections have truly shown peoples faith in the Government .

Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal President  Sukhbir Singh Badal today described  the results of the civic elections in Punjab as a victory for constructive politics and rejection of  the confrontationist  policies  of the previous congress regime. In a statement here,  Mr. Sukhbir Singh said that after the corporation elections, this is the second large scale endorsement of the policies and programmes of the SAD-BJP Government in Punjab. He said that he was grateful to the people of the State in general and the workers of SAD-BJP in particular for ensuring  a mandate in Government  favour.

He said that the victory had only filled him with humility and a desire to serve the people with a commitment even greater than before.