New Delhi, August 8
As Punjab Chief Amarinder Singh battles the floods in his state, his political future appears to be on hold with the Congress leadership adopting an ambivalent stance on the matter.
After fielding several party leaders to warn him against making uncalled for remarks on the pending SYL canal issue, there is now a lull on the Punjab front.
AICC leaders admit the Punjab situation, triggered by the chief minister’s move to nullify all inter-state water treaties and his subsequent statements, has complicated matters. The party is now banking on the Supreme Court’s opinion on the issue to provide a political solution to this intractable problem, which has serious constitutional and political ramifications for other states.
According to Mr Ashwani Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab and a legal expert, key emotive issues like water-sharing can be resolved only within the framework of the Constitution. The Supreme Court, he maintains, is the final arbiter and its opinion will need to be respected by all concerned. It may be recalled that
However, he avoided a direct answer when asked if the Chief Minister’s future will depend on the Apex Court’s opinion. “These are matters on which the Congress high command will decide.....as of now, Mr Amarinder Singh is the Chief Minister and a suitable decision will be taken by the Congress president keeping in view the totality of circumstances and the overall situation”, Mr Kumar pointed out.
