The television debate between the Bharatiya Janata Party's Amritsar candidate, former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, and the Congress party's Surrender Singla last week quickly degenerated into a slanging match.

Trouble apparently began when Singla, finance minister in Capt Amrinder Singh's government, allegedly called Sidhu a murderer, a reference to the fact that the latter had been sentenced to three years imprisonment and Rs 1 lakh fine in a case of road rage, for beating up Gurnam Singh, a 60-year-old, 18 years ago. Only last week the Supreme Court had set aside the conviction and allowed Sidhu to contest the by-election caused by his resignation earlier.
 
The charge infuriated Sidhu who called Singla a dalal (agent) of a leading corporate house, and with things threatening to get out of control and descend to fisticuffs the debate was hastily called off.

Both sides have carried their vitriol offscreen as well. Speaking to Rediff.com, Sidhu denied he had anything to do with the ugliness witnessed during the debate. "We were supposed to talk on development programmes but my esteemed colleague Singla started the abuse," he said.

Congressmen for their part alleged that it was Sidhu who started the abuse. "He is known for his short temper when things don't go right for him. He had no answer to the charge of culpable homicide so he got rattled," a senior Punjab congress leader told rediff.com.

As the election campaign picks up momentum, Amritsar is bound to witness many more ugly verbal duels between the two contestants.