New Delhi, January 6: In a major blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Punjab MLA Sukhpal Khaira on Sunday resigned from the party's primary membership. In a letter to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal, Khaira stated that the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed after the anti-corruption movement by Anna Hazare in 2011. The movement had gained momentum from 5 April 2011, when Anna Hazare began a hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.  Here's What Arvind Kejriwal Said on Rumours of Congress-AAP Alliance For 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia said If he wants to work for the nation, he should stay with the party. "If he wants to work for his own interests and post then he can go anywhere, how does it concern us?", Sisodia added.

Khaira's resignation comes days after senior Aam Aadmi Party leader HS Phoolka, who has fought the legal battle for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims, resigned from the party on January 3. Phoolka took to Twitter and said,

"I have resigned from AAP & handed over resignation to Kejriwal ji today. Though he asked me not to resign but I insisted".

In November, the Aam Aadmi Party had suspended rebel leaders Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Kanwar Sandhu from the party for allegedly indulging in "anti-party" activities. According to a report by PTI, the decision to expel the leaders was taken by the core committee of AAP Punjab unit, chaired by MLA Budh Ram in Chandigarh. Reacting to his suspension from AAP, Khaira had described the party's decision as “dictatorial”.

AAP legislator and leader of opposition in Punjab assembly Harpal Singh Cheema was quoted in the report saying that both Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Kanwar Sandhu have been suspended for indulging in anti-party activities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 06, 2019 01:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).