Gobind Singh Longowal takes oath as MLA

Newly-elected ruling Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Gobind Singh Longowal today took oath of the office here today.
Assembly speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal administrated the oath of office to Longowal in a simple ceremony organised in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
He was recently elected from Dhuri assembly seat in the by-polls held on April 11. The by-poll was necessitated after sitting Congress MLA Arvind Khanna resigned as legislator in January this year.
Longowal had defeated Congress-Sanjha Morcha joint candidate Simar Partap Singh, grandson of former governor and chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala by margin of 37,501 votes.
After taking the oath, Longowal, a former minister, said that he would try his best to come up to the expectations of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who have entrusted him a great responsibility and he would also leave no stone unturned for the development of Dhuri.

With election of Longowal, SAD has 59 MLAs in the 117 member assembly while its ally BJP 12, Congress has 43 besides there are 3 independents.