Battlelines drawn ahead of SC verdict

Chandigarh : The Supreme Court verdict on the Presidential reference regarding the validity of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004 — expected this week — is set to trigger a battle of one-upmanship in the poll-bound state. For once, the Akali Dal, the BJP’s state unit and the Congress are saying in unison that not a drop of water would be released to Haryana. The Akalis are talking tough with the Centre despite being part of the ruling NDA, while the Congress has announced that its MLAs in the state will resign en masse in case the verdict is against the interests of Punjab. Talking to The Tribune here today, PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh said his stand on the issue was clear. “I, too, will resign as an MP and lead the agitation,” he said. Badal had made it clear in the presence of BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Minister Arun Jaitley during the Punjabi Suba celebrations that Punjab had no water to spare. Sources in the Akali Dal said the party would not abide by directions that suggested the release of river waters to Haryana through the SYL canal.