AAP’s rebel MLA from Punjab Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday resigned from primary membership of the party, alleging that the party had “totally deviated” from the ideology and principles on which it was formed.
The 53-year-old Khaira, a former Congressman who had joined the Aam Aadmi Party in December 2015 — nearly a year before the last Punjab Assembly polls, sent his resignation to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.
“I am constrained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP as the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post the Anna Hazare
movement,” the Bolath MLA said in his resignation letter, copies of which have been released to the media.
“Although you have already rewarded our good work by humiliatingly suspending me and Kanwar Sandhu from the party but still I want to formalise the disconnection with you and AAP, by quitting its primary membership,” Khaira said.
The rebel leader has been a vocal critic of AAP leadership since he was removed as leader of opposition (LoP) in Punjab Assembly in July last year.
Khaira, along with Sandhu, was also suspended from AAP for indulging in “anti-party” activities in November last year. Launching a no-holds-barred attack on Kejriwal, Khaira said, “I am saddened to state that your dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system.”
He said, “As a result, almost all prominent leaders of the party, beginning from Prashant Bhushan to H S Phoolka, have either quit the party or you have thrown them out.”
The “current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the
formation of AAP,” Khaira said in his letter.
“..Unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties. The turn of events into the run up of 2017 Punjab elections further confirmed my belief, that there was no inner party democracy,” he said.