Chandigarh: Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Tuesday floated a new regional party Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP) and said the new party will fight the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and AAP.
Khaira, who resigned from the AAP on Sunday, accused the Congress and SAD of being hand in glove and ruining Punjab in the past over two decades.
Six sitting AAP legislators — Kanwar Sandhu, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Master Baldev Singh, Pirmal Singh, Jagdev Kamalu and Jagga Issowal — were seen at the launch of the new party.
Khaira, who was suspended from the AAP in November for “anti-party activities”, said the new party would work for the people of Punjab, especially youth, farmers and women.
A sitting legislator, Khaira had earlier ruled out his resignation from the Punjab Assembly even after quitting from the AAP.
Khaira said the Assembly Speaker will decide on his status.
He said that he and other legislators will not resign from their Assembly seats as they did not want to burden the exchequer with fresh elections on these seats.