From virtually being a crew member with the Congress party in Punjab to first officer with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and now captain of his own ship, Sukhpal Singh Khaira has faced many a rough seas. But his will to succeed and grit has almost always kept him afloat. As he cooks up a storm by floating a new outfit — Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP), two-time MLA Khaira seems to have found his true calling.

Punjab’s firebrand and candid politician, Khaira has taken upon himself “to fight against the fountainheads of corruption" in the State. Debuting in his first parliamentary electoral contest from the Badals' bastion — Bathinda, Khaira declares to fight against the “Badal clan”. The Pioneer talks to Bholath legislator as his party, contesting in alliance with five other outfits under the banner of Punjab Democratic Allinace (PDA), tries to be not at sea during the forthcoming parliamentary polls. Excerpts from the interview:

You were with the Congress during 2014 parliamentary polls, you contested 2017 state assembly elections as AAP leader, and now in 2019, you have floated your own front. How do you justify the “shifts” to the people?

I spent two decades in the Congress. And AAP didn’t throw me, I left the party after the way they unceremoniously removed me as the Leader of Opposition (in Vidhan Sabha), and the way (AAP national convener) Arvind Kejriwal has adopted...I don’t think any meaningful person can stay with them. See, Alka Lamba has left them. (HS) Phoolka has left them whether it is whatever way. And upward till Parshant Bhushan...nobody is with him at all. I have to form my own party because now, there is no political party or entity which is talking about safeguarding the interests of Punjab. Congress has always been anti-Punjab, BJP is a national party and Akali Dal has given up its agenda, AAP has different talks on the river waters…when in Haryana, they talk differently. So, I was forced to form the regional force and we will ensure that the interests of Punjab are protected strongly. That’s why the switches and the new party.

What are the strong points of PDA over other outfits?

We are going to tell people that here we are with an alternative to the corrupt traditional parties of Congress and Akali Dal. They have, over the period of time, not only destroyed Punjab but have monopolized most of the natural resources and major trade of the State. They are all under control of political families. For example, transport. (SAD president) Sukhbir Singh Badal, (Congress MLA Kushaldeep Singh) Kiki Dhillon, (Congress MLA) Avtar Henry, so on and so forth. Ninety percent of the transport is controlled by political families. So is the case of mining. Congress has got its front-men across the State, earlier Akalis used to have these front-men. So we have to liberate Punjab from the clutches of these corrupt parties. In such a scenario, the state exchequer is the loser, and is causing lot of unemployment in the State. So we are going to expose these people before the electorates during the elections.

What would be the main points of your manifesto?

We are coming up with a common minimum programme within a week. Because it is a Lok Sabha election and we are six parties involved in it. So we will come up with a CMP.  And for the state elections, we will give a vision document well in advance for 2022 which will be unlike the false promises of the Congress and Akali Dal.

What would be the challenges for the PDA, and PEP in particular?

We have all got together. Our goal is common, we are on same page, all of us, mostly. So we are going to affect the votes of both the Akali Dal and anti-incumbency against the Congress, as well as the AAP. Because AAP has literally lost face in the State because of the kind of politics Kejriwal has adopted by surrendering to Bikram Majithia (SAD leader). So, we are looking at the space vacated by the AAP, the decline of the Akali Dal in Punjab because SAD has slipped in vote share from 34 percent to 26 percent in the Vidhan Sabha. We feel that they will shed another eight to 10 percent votes this time. So we should be the gainers if we campaign appropriately and if give confidence to the people that we can deliver, I think the voters should vote for the third alternative.

What would be your campaign strategy?

We would go in for smaller village or local level meetings. We are short of funds, we don’t have the resources like the traditional parties. Our campaign would be to reach out most of the people and of course, create visibility of our candidates in the state. That is our focus immediately.

AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu has always been on your side when you were in the party. What is preventing him to join you?

After I formed the new party, we have purposely defended these people (read AAP’s rebel MLAs) or asked them to stay behind the scene. Because otherwise the AAP people are very chicken-hearted, they will make a complaint to the (Vidhan Sabha) Speaker and get them disqualified. We don’t want our colleagues to be disqualified or to force by-elections in the State. They are all with us, but working from behind the scenes.

 You have appealed to the Taksalis to withdraw their candidate in favour of PDA candidate Bibi Paramjeet Kaur Khalra who would be facing SAD’s Bibi Jagir Kaur in Khadoor Sahib. Why?

The appeal is not because of Jagir Kaur. This appeal is in larger interest of the State, so that we would be able to defeat these anti-Punjab forces in Khadoor Sahib, and she stands a very good chance because her contribution or the fight for human rights and the way she lost her husband, and they have been consistently fighting for human rights. She is extremely very good candidate and a panthic candidate as well. So our appeal to the SAD (Taksalis) is why you are dividing votes. On one hand, the Taksalis say that it is a panthic party, on the other, they say Majha, Khadoor Sahib is a panthic area...then why are they opposing Khalra who is a panthic candidate? Somebody. who has contributed so much, should not be opposed. What General JJ Singh has to do in Khadoor Sahib...Nothing! That’s why the appeal. It is not because of Bibi Jagir Kaur as she is no entity there.

This is going to be your first Lok Sabha election. What is your strategy?

In Bathinda, I would be exposing the mischiefs and corruption by the Badal family. Of course, issues of drugs, farmers’ suicides, unemployment — these will dominate the political discussion...and also Guru Granth Sahib’s beadbi (desecration) and the Behbal Kalan killings. And I hold both these families — Capt Amarinder Singh and the Badals — responsible because they have ruled the State turn by turn. Since Dr (Dharamvir) Gandhi (sitting Patiala MP and PDA’s candidate from the seat) is already opposing one main family in Punjab, that’s why I opted for Bathinda. Whether a win or lose that’s another matter. I opted to fight against the fountainheads of corruption in Punjab.

Are you targeting SAD’s sitting MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Badal or the entire Badal family?

Badal clan as such. Because I consider them as fountainheads of corruption. They need to be destroyed, demolished so that Punjab can breathe easy. Otherwise, they will eat away everything. They have already eaten away everything.

You talked about sacrilege and related firing incidents. Is the issue still relevant?

Very much relevant, because Akalis are in the dock, they are the culprits. After all, two boys have been killed in Behbal Kalan and culprits need to be held responsible. I cannot believe that the firing could have been taken place without the order of the Chief Minister or the Deputy Chief Minister.

What you have to say about the ongoing credit-war between the Congress and BJP-Akalis over Katarpur Sahib corridor?

This is absolutely wrong on the part of political parties because this is purely to do with the sentiments of the people. If the credit at all goes to anybody, it is the sangat which has been praying from last many decades to have an access to all the shrines which are not in India now.

SAD Taksali president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura advised you and your ally Lok Insaaf Party president Simarjeet Bains to “go slow”, while questioning your way of functioning and dubbing you as inexperienced. How do you respond?

This is an alibi, actually. We all respect our elders and Brahmpura ji. He fell out because of his own failures. Like by unilaterally announcing (candidates from) Sri Anandpur Sahib and Khadoor Sahib, so now, in order to cover-up his mistake, he is making this frivolous allegation against us. We are not inexperienced. I have fought five elections, and have been two-time MLA. This is all cock and bull story.