AAP MLA from Punjab Baldev Singh resigned from the primary membership of the party on Wednesday citing “autocratic functioning” and accusing the top leadership of giving up the party’s basic ideology and principles.
Singh sent his resignation to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. His resignation comes days after another AAP MLA, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, stepped down from the party’s primary membership.
While Khaira had directly accused the Delhi Chief Minister of “dictatorial attitude”, Singh, in his resignation letter, wrote, “I am pained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP because the party has completely given up its basic ideology and principles.”
Singh is the sitting AAP legislator from the Jaito Assembly seat. Khaira had on 8 January announced a new political outfit, ‘Punjabi Ekta Party’ after resigning from the party two days ago.
Addressing a press conference, Khaira said it will be Punjab-centric and a regional party.
Six rebel AAP legislators — Kanwar Singh Sandhu, Jagdev Singh Kamalu, Jagtar Singh Hissowal, Pirmal Singh Khalsa, Master Baldev Singh, and Nazar Singh Manshahia — were present on the occasion.
Khaira was a suspended AAP leader at the time of his resignation.
Following the resignation, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had slammed Khaira and demanded that he resigns from his position of an MLA now.
Read More: Manish Sisodia says Sukhpal Singh Khaira should now quit as MLA
“Mr Sukhpal Khaira’s resignation was expected. Party will be strengthened with his exit. He should now resign from MLA also, which he won on party ticket,” he wrote in a series of tweets.
“Mr Khaira started revolting against party since post of LoP in Punjab was given to a Dalit leader,” Sisodia said.
Lawyer-activist HS Phoolka had also recently quit from the AAP’s primary membership. He had earlier resigned from the Punjab Assembly. He was the AAP legislator from the Dakha Assembly seat.