Punjab Governor Shivraj V. Patil on Friday formally invited Shiromani Akali Dal stalwart Parkash Singh Badal to form the next government in the State.
Mr. Patil handed over the letter to Mr. Badal, when the latter called on him at the Raj Bhawan. Mr. Badal was accompanied by his son and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, senior leader Daljeet Singh Cheema, BJP's State president Ashwani Sharma, its legislature party leader Bhagat Chuni Lal and party's State in-charge Shanta Kumar.
The delegation handed over to the Governor a resolution passed unanimously at a joint meeting of the newly elected legislators of the Akali Dal and the BJP, which together bagged 68 out of 117 seats. Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley also attended the proceedings in the Punjab Bhawan, where Mr. Kumar suggested and Mr. Sharma proposed Mr. Badal's name. Mr. Sukhbir Singh seconded the proposal, which was immediately endorsed by Mr. Lal.
