The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance stormed back to power for a second consecutive term in Punjab and Badal was elected as the legislative party leader of the SAD. He is to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Punjab on Wednesday.

Parkash Singh Badal today spoke to Ms Jayalalithaa over the phone and invited her

to participate in his swearing-in ceremony on March 14th.

Ms. Jayalalithaa, however, expressed her inability to attend the ceremony as she was scheduled to undertake campaign for the March 18th Sankarankoil assembly bypoll on that day. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister informed Badal that her campaigning date had been decided earlier and an announcement in that regard had been already made.

Having conveyed her inability to attend the oath-taking function, though she wanted to, Ms Jayalalithaa said she would depute her party MPs M Thambidurai and V Maithreyan on her behalf, an official release said.
It may be noted that Ms Jayalalithaa had earlier greeted Badal on his poll victory.