Rebel AAP MLAs from Punjab merge outfit with Congress

These MLAs were led by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who is a former Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly

Sukhpal Singh Khaira was a Congressman earlier and had quit the party in 2015 to join the AAP. Credit: PTI Photo

Three Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rebel MLAs from Punjab led by Sukhpal Singh Khaira merged their outfit Punjab Ekta Party with Congress after a meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Thursday.

Khaira, a former Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, and two of his colleagues Jagdev Singh and Pirmal Singh met Gandhi at his 12, Tughlaq Lane residence.

The trio was elected on the AAP ticket in the 2017 assembly elections when Khaira was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition.

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However, following differences with AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Khaira was stripped of the post of the Leader of the Opposition. He quit AAP soon after.

AAP has been seeking the disqualification of the three MLAs under the anti-defection law but to no avail.

The three MLAs had joined the Congress earlier this month in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, but a meeting with Rahul was pending.

Khaira was a Congressman earlier and had quit the party in 2015 to join the AAP. However, he was soon “disillusioned” by the “dictatorial” ways of Kejriwal and fell out of favour. He also unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 from Bhatinda.

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