2-term Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Sukhwinder Sukhi joins AAP
With this Akali Dal is left with two MLAs in the 117-member Punjab assembly—Manpreet Singh Ayali and Ganieve Kaur Majithia
In yet another setback to the oldest regional party in the country, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), one of its three MLAs in the Punjab legislative assembly, Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi on Wednesday joined Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann.
A doctor by profession, Sukhi first became an MLA from the Banga seat in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district in the 2017 assembly election on a SAD ticket. He was re-elected in 2022. He had also unsuccessfully contested the Jalandhar Parliamentary bypoll in 2023.
Sukhi parting with the SAD comes at a time when the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led outfit is facing the worst rebellion in its history, with a section of leaders revolting against the party chief, demanding that he step down following the SAD’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab.
Banga MLA, an ENT specialist, runs a private hospital in his home constituency and was a known loyalist of Sukhbir and on several occasions, he had spoken in support of the president.
But in a surprise move on Wednesday morning, Sukhi reached the residence of CM Mann who inducted him into the party fold. AAP national general secretary Sandeep Pathak was also present on the occasion.
With Sukhi switching sides, there is now a possibility of a bypoll in Banga. Asked if he will resign as an MLA, Sukhi said he will seek legal opinion in this regard. The state is already slated to hold four byelections in the coming months after sitting MLAs got elected to the recent Lok Sabha or switched sides. The four seats which will see bypolls are Dera Baba Nanak, Gidderbaha, Chhabewal and Barnala.
“Dr Sukhi is truly a people’s servant, he is a doctor and a legislator, whose aim is to serve the people of his constituency and the state,” Mann said while welcoming him into the party.
While in the SAD, Sukhi was involved in the top decision-making process and after his victory from Banga assembly constituency in 2022, he was inducted into the party’s core committee, the top decision-making body of the party.
SAD vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema termed it as a big loss for the party.
“It is a sad and a big loss for the party and Dr Sukhi as well. Rest it is a political game as people look for opportunities for their benefit,” Cheema said. He added that the party had given Sukhi so much and made him MLA twice on the party ticket.
With Sukhi’s switch, SAD is left with just two MLAs in the 117-member legislative assembly - Manpreet Singh Ayali from Dakha and Ganieve Majithia from Majithia.
Cheema further said Sukhi’s switch is a loss for the people of the constituency and his supporters also. “If the opposition MLAs start joining the ruling parties then who would raise people’s voice,” he asked.
Speaking on his reasons behind joining AAP, Sukhi said that the Punjab CM has given a medical college at Nawanshahr and promptly acted on the issues he had raised in the assembly sessions.
“I am a two-time MLA and have been in opposition. The people who elected me are also feeling that the development in my constituency has suffered. I have joined AAP for the welfare of the people of Banga,” he said.
To another question, he said the SAD had given him all the respect. “I have no problem with Sukhbir Singh Badal,” he said, adding that “Every party has good people and all of them are not like Sukhbir Badal.”