JALANDHAR: The BJP and Congress on Friday chose to pitch their star campaigners — Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, respectively -- to rally support for local candidates in Punjab , setting the stage for a political showdown a week before Assembly polls.As the issue of riparian rights takes centre-stage in all rallies, with the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP and its traditional rival, the Congress, and debutant Aam Admi Party ( AAP ) opposing the construction of the SYL canal, the Centre seems to have provided an alternative solution to the prevailing crises.Prime Minister Modi was in Jalandhar to campaign for the SAD-BJP alliance. Modi said, “The farmers of Punjab need now worry about water anymore. We have decided to route the water from the Indus, which currently flows into Pakistan which does not have the right over this, to the farmers of Punjab, who rightfully deserve it. Punjab’s farmers, India’s farmers will get water from India’s rivers. Indus water flowing to Pakistan will be diverted to Punjab.”While Mode did not comment on the SYL issue, around the same time at a rally at Faridkot, SAD’s president said he would fight for the riparian rights of the state till his last breath. Punjab is entangled in a legal battle with Haryana over the construction of the SYL canal.Coming to the rescue of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is in the dock over his alleged role during the militancy, as per CIA reports, Modi said Badal has always fought for the unity of the Sikhs and Hindus.“When there were tensions between Hindus and Sikhs, when others were playing politics, it was Badal saheb who worked day and night, gave his sweat and blood to unite the Hindus and Sikhs. You will rarely come across a gem like him,” he said.Citing the latest disclosures of a CIA report on Punjab extremism, the stat e ’s Congress unit has been taking on the Parkash Singh Badal for the spread of terrorism in the state.Modi targeted Congress and raked up the coal and 2G scams during the Congress regime.Ironically, the prime minister seems to have gone soft on the state government on the issue of drugs, despite SAD acknowledging the problem for the first time and offering a counter plan in its manifesto. It was only during ‘Maan Ki Baat’ after assuming the office of PM that Modi spoke about the drug menace in Punjab, and the issue was catapulted to national level.“There are people who are putting all their efforts into defaming Punjab. For their selfishness and greed for power, and they are going to every extent to ruin Punjab’s image. For such people, I appeal to you all to punish them all for speaking about this great land in bad light. Even in its worst phase a few decades ago, no one ever spoke ill of Punjab,” the PM said.The SAD-BJP alliance has ruled the state for the last 10 years. This time, they will face debutante Aam Aadmi Party and Congress, .Targeting Congress, Modi said, “There was a time when the UPA was in power. Pick up the papers from those years and look at the headlines. All you read were stories saying ‘how much has gone’. Read the papers these days. You’ll see stories of ‘how much has come’. We are doing all we can to catch and punish the corrupt. We are fighting against the corrupt, for honesty, for transparency. But this battle cannot be won by the government alone. It cannot be won without your support and blessing. There was a time when getting a gas connection was a big task and quite a headache. See how that has completely changed in just a few years. I must also thank all those who gave up their gas subsidy so that it could benefit the poor.”