Tohra googly stumps Capt, stuns Badal

Amarinder, for his part, denied he was helping Tohra to end Parkash Singh Badal’s SGPC reign, and added that all Parbandhak members would be allowed to reach Amritsar and cast their votes on November 12.

‘‘No private security guards, not even NSG commandoes of Badal will be allowed into Amritsar. If anyone wants security, he would be given Punjab police security. But no crowds will be allowed, they will be all locked up if they try to enter Amritsar,’’ Amarinder told reporters here on his return from Mount Abu. The Chief Minister repeatedly referred to Badal’s statements exhorting Akali workers to reach Amritsar in their thousands.

Another twist was added to the fast-paced SGPC saga today when Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhbir Singh Badal met Dy PM L.K. Advani and told him about the situation in the state.

Taken by surprise by Tohra’s support, the Badal camp was in a huddle trying to analyse it. Most thought it was a ‘‘typical Tohra googly’’ aimed at forcing Badal into a position where he is seen as anti-Akal Takht.

Director General of Police M.S. Bhullar pegged the number of Akali workers arrested yesterday at around 630. Some fresh arrests were reported in the early part of the day today too.

Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said today at Shimla that the ‘‘reign of terror’’ let loose by the Amarinder government reminded one of the dark days of the Emergency.