Hours after suspended AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira resigned from the party, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday that the Punjab MLA can stay if he wants to work for the nation.
“If he wants to work for the nation, he should stay with us. If he wants to work for his own interests and post then he can go anywhere. How does it concern us?” he said.
In a series of tweets, Sisodia slammed Khaira and demanded that he resigns from his position of an MLA now.
“Mr Sukhpal Khaira’s resignation was expected. Party will be strengthened with his exit. He shuld now resign from MLA also, which he won on party ticket,” he wrote.
“Mr Khaira started revolting against party since post of LoP in Punjab was given to a Dalit leader,” Sisodia accused.
In strong words, Sisodia said that anyone who has a problem with working for “poor and marginalised people” can leave the party.
“AAP will keep working for poor and marginalised people. Those who have problem in this can leave the party. Mr Khaira was trying to weaken party and was openly revolting against the party since then. He tried to break party. Which organization can tolerate such behaviour?” he said.
Sisodia also accused Khaira of always “clamouring for position and power”.
“@ArvindKejriwal ji always says that those who have come for position or power shuld leave the party. He was always clamouring for position and power,” he said.
AAP will keep working for poor and marginalised people. Those who have problem in this can leave the party.
Mr Khaira was trying to weaken party and was openly revolting against the party since then. He tried to break party. Which organization can tolerate such behaviour? 2/N
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) January 6, 2019
@ArvindKejriwal ji always says that those who have come for position or power shuld leave the party. He was always clamouring for position and power. N/N
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) January 6, 2019
Khaira on Sunday resigned from the primary membership of AAP citing the “dictatorial attitude” of party chief Arvind Kejriwal.
His resignation came days after another AAP leader from Punjab, HS Phoolka, quit the party citing similar reasons.
Khaira, a former Leader of Opposition in Punjab legislative assembly, wrote to Kejriwal alleging that the “party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post Anna Hazare movement”.
In his letter, he accused the Delhi Chief Minister of failing to understand the “psyche of Punjabi’s due to your overconfidence” and never taking note of AAP volunteers on the ground.
“I am saddened to state that your dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and the Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system,” he wrote.
“The saddest part is that a party which vouched for transparency and accountability never bothered to hold any person or persons accountable for the shameful defeat (in Punjab elections). It is a matter of fact that one of the arrogant ‘Subedars’ is still running Punjab from behind the curtain despite a huge hue and cry against him,” he added.
Khaira’s resignation came two months after he was suspended for allegedly indulging in “anti-party” activities.
Read More: Sukhpal Singh Khaira quits AAP, slams Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘dictatorial attitude’
Reports say that Khaira will launch a new political party called Punjab Democratic Alliance on 8 January in Chandigarh.
He had in December last year, announced the formation of his party with Lok Insaaf Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, suspended AAP MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi and other “like-minded parties” in the state to take on both the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress.