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Our Bureau

New Delhi , July 14

EVEN as the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, continued to grapple with the river waters dispute between Punjab and its neighbouring States on Wednesday, the issue has divided political parties on State lines.

While the Haryana Congress has said that it would support the State Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chauthala, in opposing the move by Congress-ruled Punjab to scrap the water sharing treaties, the Shiromani Akali Dal, a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from Punjab, has said that it stands by the ruling Congress on the issue. The Punjab unit of the BJP has been silent on the issue so far.

At the Centre, the NDA has termed the Punjab Government's decision to abrogate the 1981 treaties with neighbouring states on the sharing of Ravi and Beas river waters as "unconstitutional" and "contempt of the Supreme Court". The Congress-led ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is yet to take a stand.

According to political analysts, water sharing is an extremely emotive issue and no political party can afford to ignore local interests.

"In Punjab, it is an issue of Punjabi pride versus Haryana's demands. Haryana is due for elections early next year. So, no political party can afford to take the issue lightly. That explains why the Haryana Congress is opposing its own party's Punjab Government on the issue," a source familiar with political developments in Chandigarh told Business Line.

Meanwhile, Dr Manmohan Singh met the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ms Vasundhara Raje, and the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, on Wednesday. The Prime Minister had already held meetings with Haryana and Punjab Chief Ministers, Mr Chautala and Captain Amarinder Singh, on Tuesday.

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