Sukhpal Khaira resigns as MLA to contest from Bathinda LS seat

Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who floated his outfit after quitting the Aam Aadmi Party, resigned from the state Assembly Thursday as Bholath MLA to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda.

Khaira sent his resignation to Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh.

"Since, I will be filing my nomination papers as the Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat tomorrow, I have decided to relinquish my Bholath seat as an MLA to uphold morality and ethics in politics," Khaira wrote in the resignation letter.

The PDA, which is fighting on all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, comprises PEP, Bahujan Samaj Party, Lok Insaaf Party, Nawan Punjab Party, Communist Party of India and Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI).

Lashing out at Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Khaira said in the resignation letter, "I was elected as MLA Bholath in 2017 on the AAP symbol. My joining AAP was based on the revolutionary and lofty promises made by its convener Arvind Kejriwal. Unfortunately, he has not only dashed hopes of millions of people of India but stooped to the lowest level of cheap politicking for petty personal gains."