CHANDIGARH, April 19 -- Even though the Assembly elections are still two years away, Punjab's political landscape is already ablaze. The FIR against Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa has reignited concerns of vendetta politics in the border state.

However, Bajwa received relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which issued directions that "no coercive action" be taken against him until the next date of hearing in a criminal case registered over his controversial remarks about untraced grenades allegedly smuggled into Punjab.

Bajwa was booked under Sections 197(1)(d) (false and misleading information that endangers the country's sovereignty and unity) and 353(2) (false statements intended to create...