Sukhpal Khaira floats regional party

Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 8

Sukhpal Khaira, who recently quit the Aam Aadmi Party, on Tuesday announced a new political party, Punjabi Ekta Party.

Addressing a gathering, Khaira said their party would be a Punjab-centric regional party.

Rebel MLAs Kanwar Sandhu, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Master Baldev Singh, Pirmal Singh, Jagdev Kamalu and Jagga Issowal were also present, though they were not seated on the stage.

Listing the agenda of his party, Khaira said subsidy should be transferred in cash to farmers’ accounts; there should be 50 per cent reduction in interest rate for loans to farmers.

He said his party would fight against corruption by taking action against bigwigs instead of only against clerks or JEs; effective institution of Lok Pal would be introduced; action would be taken on sacrilege incidents; and there would be a crackdown on drugs

He also supported Navjot Sidhu’s model to check sand mining which, he claimed, the Amarinder government did not implement. He said his party would involve the youth in liquor and cable trade.