Sukhpal Singh Khaira
Sukhpal Singh Khaira (born 13 January 1965) is an Indian politician. He is the founder of Punjab Ekta Party.[4] He is a former leader of the Aam Aadmi Party and was the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly. He is a former member of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. He was a member of Punjab Legislative Assembly from Bholath in 13th Assembly (2007-2012) and now in 15th Assembly(2017–present).
Sukhpal Singh Khaira | |
---|---|
Leader of the Opposition Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
In office 20 July 2017[1] – 26 July 2018[2] | |
Preceded by | H. S. Phoolka[1] |
Succeeded by | Harpal Singh Cheema[3] |
Constituency | Bholath, Kapurthala district |
MLA | |
In office 1 March 2007 – 6 March 2012 | |
Preceded by | Bibi Jagir Kaur |
Succeeded by | Bibi Jagir Kaur |
Constituency | Bholath |
MLA | |
Assumed office 16 March 2017 | |
Preceded by | Bibi Jagir Kaur |
Constituency | Bholath |
Personal details | |
Born | Kapurthala, Punjab, India | 13 January 1965
Nationality | Indian |
Political party | PEP (Since 2019) AAP (2015-18) INC (till 2015) |
Personal life
Sukhpal Singh Khaira is the son of veteran Akali leader and former Punjab education minister Sukhjinder Singh Khaira.[5][6]
He did his schooling from Bishop Cotton School, Shimla.
Political timeline
- 1994 - He was elected as Member Panchayat from Village Ramgarh, District Kapurthala.[7]
- 1997 - He joined the Youth congress and was appointed as vice president of Punjab Youth Congress.[7]
- 1999 - Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee appointed him as secretary of their organisation.[7]
- 2005 - He was appointed president of Kapurthala district's Congress committee (2005 to 2010).[7]
- 2006 - He became elected director of Central Cooperative Bank, Kapurthala.[7]
- 2007 - He was elected as Member of Legislative Assembly from Bholath till 2012 under the Congress party, Kapurthala, Punjab after two failed attempts in 1997 and 2002.[8]
- 2009 - He was appointed as Punjab Congress Spokesperson and was reappointed in 2013, (he later resigned in 2014 from the post, owning moral responsibility for the "poor performance" of the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the state).[9][10]
- 2015 - on 25 December Khaira announced his resignation from Congress party and declared his unification with the Aam Aadmi Party.[11]
- 2017 - on 11 March Sukhpal Singh Khaira won the Member of Legislative Assembly elections second time after failing in 2012 in his constituency of Bholath, however this time acting under the Aam Aadmi Party.
- 2018 - Suspended from AAP for anti party activities
- 2018 - Formed Punjab Democratic Alliance[12]
- 2019 - on 6 January, Khaira left Aam Aadmi Party
- 2019 - On 8 January 2019, he formed a new political party, Punjab Ekta Party.[13]
- 2019 - On 16 March 2019, Punjab Democratic Alliance announced his candidacy from Bathinda parliamentary constituency.[14]
- 2019 - On 25 April 2019 he resigned from Punjab Legislative Assembly.[15]
- 2019 - On 23 May 2019, he lost from the Bathinda Lok Sabha Constituency.[16]
Controversies
Sukhpal Singh Khaira admitted to meet Arvind Kejriwal in early 2015. According to media the meeting was in pretext to join AAP Punjab, but prominent leaders of AAP Punjab blocked the entry of Khaira into the Party.[17][18]
Allegations were made on Khaira that he was trying to protect trans-border Heroin smuggler Gurdev Singh, he rubbished the allegations and invited the enquiry.[19] However, in April 2018, Justice Mehtab Singh Gill Panel, constituted by Govt, declared that all 17 cases against Sukhpal Singh Khaira were falsely registered and demanded action against police officers.[20]
References
- "AAP's Sukhpal Khaira new leader of opposition in Pb Assembly". Press Trust of India. 20 July 2017 – via Business Standard.
- "AAP In Turmoil In Punjab, Top Leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira Sacked". NDTV.com.
- "AAP removes Khaira, appoints Harpal Cheema as leader of opposition".
- "Khaira launched punjabi ekta party". Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- "Former Punjab Minister dead". 11 July 2010 – via www.thehindu.com.
- "Former Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh passes away". news.webindia123.com.
- "Political career". NRI Internet. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
- A Warm reception for Mr. Sukhpal Singh Khaira in Los Angeles. nriinternet.com 5 January 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- http://zeenews.india.com/news/punjab/sukhpal-khaira-becomes-punjab-cong-spokesman_842808.html Sukhpal Khaira becomes Punjab Cong spokesman
- Sukhpal Singh Khaira resigns from post of punjab congress spokesperson dnaindia.com, 18 May 2014
- "Now, Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Singh Khaira likely to join AAP". 25 December 2015.
- "Sukhpal Khaira announces Punjab Democratic Alliance with BSP, Bains brothers, Dr Gandhi". The Indian Express. 17 December 2018.
- "Days After Quitting AAP, Sukhpal Singh Khaira Floats New Political Outfit". News18.
- Service, Tribune News. "Sukhpal Khaira to contest parliamentary polls from Bathinda constituency". Tribuneindia News Service.
- Service, Tribune News. "Sukhpal Khaira resigns as Bholath MLA". Tribuneindia News Service.
- "Sukhpal Singh Khaira ,PEP: Latest Updates On Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Lok Sabha Constituency Seat". NDTV. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- "Bhagwant Mann, Dr. Gandhi, Sadhu Singh to block entry of Sukhpal Khaira in Aam Aadmi Party". 3 March 2015.
- "Sukhpal Singh Khaira to join AAP soon, says Sucha Singh Chhotepur". Hindustan Times. 28 February 2015.
- Service, Tribune News. "No link with arrested drug smuggler: Khaira". Tribuneindia News Service.
- "Cases against Simranjit Mann Khaira false says-panel". Tribune India. 14 April 2018.