Sukhpal Khaira, who quit the Aam Aadmi Party recently, on Monday said he would announce his party on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference at his residence in Sector 5 here, Khaira said the Punjab Democratic Alliance formed by them in December would meet later this week to decide on seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections.
“We don’t want the AAP to lose the Leader of Opposition status to Akalis,” he said.
Khaira also sought an amendment in the anti-defection law saying it was anti-democratic that only two-thirds members of a party could defect and not individuals.
He said stringent amendments in the Constitution regarding anti-defection had been brought about by the Congress and BJP and the AAP was following it. “I want a national debate on this. Party presidents have become dictators or like kings of yore.”
He said, “I am prepared for any election. I am waiting for the Punjab Speaker’s decision on my membership.”
Khaira criticised the Amarinder government on police raids on the houses of farmer leaders . He demanded compensation with interest for sugarcane farmers. He demanded closure of toll plazas and announced a plan for staging dharnas at the toll plazas on the Sangrur-Bathinda and Mansa-Bathinda highways.
On the prospect of bypolls, he said he and supporting MLAs did not want financial burden on the state due to bypolls.
Khaira claimed that MP Bhagwant Mann on Monday met rebel Akali leader Ranjit Singh Brahmpura for an alliance with the AAP. He challenged Mann to come clean on the AAP’s “apology” to Akali leader Bikram Majithia.
