Days after HS Phoolka left Aam Aadmi Party, another AAP legislator from Punjab, Sukhpal Khaira quits AAP, following the suit resigning from the primary membership of the party.
Khaira sent his resignation to Arvind Kejriwal, has alleged that AAP has “totally deviated” from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post the Anna Hazare movement, news agency ANI said.
Earlier, Senior lawyer HS Phoolka had quit from the party claiming party was not following the political ideology that it was based around.
“Converting anti-corruption movement into a political party in 2012 was wrong. Political parties had to listen to us. Now we need a doosri (second) Anna movement, a parallel force that isn’t scared to call a spade a spade,” he said an after leaving the party.
Though he quit the AAP, Khaira has not resigned membership of the state assembly and stares at disqualification under the anti-defection law. Renowned constitutional expert Dr Subhash Kashyap said the law is very clear that if a member voluntarily gives up membership of a political party, he is subject to disqualification.
“Any member of the assembly can file a petition with the speaker in such a case seeking disqualification under the Tenth Schedule – known as the anti-defection law – of the Constitution. The speaker will then decide after giving the member an opportunity to be heard.
Delhi deputy chief minister and in-charge of Punjab affairs Manish Sisodia said that Khaira’s resignation was expected and the party would be strengthened with his exit.
Mr Sukhpal Khaira’s resignation was expected. Party will be strengthened with his exit. He shuld now resign from MLA also, which he won on party ticket.
Mr Khaira started revolting against party since post of LoP in Punjab was given to a Dalit leader. 1/N
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) 6 January 2019
Khaira has support of six other dissident AAP legislators, but they are still in the party. Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu, who was also suspended along with Khaira, said they would meet in a day or two to decide their strategy. Khaira said they (dissident MLAs) would continue to be in the AAP for now. “We do not want any byelections because of the huge debt the state carries,” he said.