Sukhpal Singh Khaira
{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Sukhpal Singh Khaira
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = Sukhpalsingh.jpeg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1965|01|13}}
| birth_place = Kapurthala, Punjab, India
| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office = Leader of the Opposition
Punjab Legislative Assembly
| constituency = Bholath, Kapurthala district
| predecessor = H. S. Phoolka
| successor = Harpal Singh Cheema{{cite news |title=AAP removes Khaira, appoints Harpal Cheema as leader of opposition |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/aap-removes-khaira-appoints-harpal-cheema-as-leader-of-opposition-626983 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Tribune |date=27 July 2018}}
| constituency_AM2 = Bholath
| assembly2 = Punjab Legislative
| term_start2 = 10 March 2022
| predecessor2 = Himself
| term_start3 = 24 March 2017
| term_end3 = 3 June 2021
| predecessor3 = Bibi Jagir Kaur
| successor3 =
| term_start4 = 1 March 2007
| term_end4 = 6 March 2012
| predecessor4 = Bibi Jagir Kaur
| successor4 = Vacant
| party = INC (Until 2015; 2021-)
| otherparty = PEP (2019-21)
AAP (2015-18)
| spouse =
| children =
| footnotes =
}}
Sukhpal Singh Khaira (born 13 January 1965) is an Indian politician serving as Indian National Congress MLA from Bholath constituency as his third term. He was the leader of opposition in Punjab Legislative Assembly during July 2017 to July 2018. He is the chairman of All India Kisan Congress since July 2022.
He started his political career with Youth Congress. In 1997, He became the vice-president of Punjab Youth Congress. He got political legacy from his father Sukhjinder Singh Khaira, a stalwart Akali leader. He is the national chairman of Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Congress.
Personal life
Sukhpal Singh Khaira is the son of veteran Akali leader and former Punjab education minister Sukhjinder Singh Khaira.{{cite news |title=Former Punjab Minister dead |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/Former-Punjab-Minister-dead/article16192616.ece |access-date=11 March 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=11 July 2010}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20100710/1545062.html|title=Former Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh passes away|website=news.webindia123.com|access-date=11 March 2022}}
He did his schooling from Bishop Cotton School, Shimla.
Political career
In 1994, he was elected as a member of panchayat from Ramgarh village of Kapurthala district.{{cite web|url=http://www.nriinternet.com/NRIcongressparty/Indian_Leaders/A_Z/K/Khaira/BIO.htm |title=Political career |website=NRI Internet |access-date=17 April 2019}} In 1997, he joined the Youth congress and was appointed vice-president of Punjab Youth Congress. In 1999, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee appointed him as secretary of their organisation. In 2005 he was appointed president of Kapurthala district's Congress committee (2005 to 2010). In 2006, he became elected director of Central Cooperative Bank, Kapurthala.
= Member of Legislative Assembly 2007 - 2012 =
In 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.{{cite news |title=Sukhpal Singh Khaira,MLA Bholath at Los Angeles |url=http://www.nriinternet.com/NRIcongressparty/Indian_Leaders/A_Z/K/Khaira/2011/Jan04/index.htm |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=www.nriinternet.com |date=5 January 2011}}
In 2009 he was appointed 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.{{cite news |title=Sukhpal Khaira becomes Punjab Cong spokesman |url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/punjab/sukhpal-khaira-becomes-punjab-cong-spokesman_842808.html |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Zee News |date=17 April 2013 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Singh Khaira resigns |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-punjab-congress-spokesman-sukhpal-singh-khaira-resigns-1989534 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=DNA India |date=18 May 2014 |language=en}}
On 25 December Khaira announced his resignation from Congress party and declared his unification with the Aam Aadmi Party.{{cite news |last1=Vasdev |first1=Kanchan |title=Now, Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Singh Khaira likely to join AAP |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/punjab-congress-spokesman-sukhpal-singh-khaira-likely-to-join-aap/ |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=The Indian Express |date=25 December 2015 |language=en}}
= Member of Legislative Assembly 2017 - 2021 =
On 11 March 2017, Khaira won the Member of Legislative Assembly elections for a second time after failing in 2012 in his constituency of Bholath, however this time acting under the Aam Aadmi Party.
In 2018 he was suspended from AAP for anti party activities. He formed Punjab Democratic Alliance{{cite news |title=Sukhpal Khaira announces Punjab Democratic Alliance with BSP, Bains brothers, Dr Gandhi |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/sukhpal-khaira-announces-punjab-democratic-alliance-with-bsp-bains-brothers-dr-gandhi-5496644/ |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=The Indian Express |date=17 December 2018 |language=en}} On 6 January 2019, Khaira left Aam Aadmi Party.
On 8 January 2019, he formed a new political party, Punjab Ekta Party.{{cite news |last=PTI |date=8 January 2019 |title=Days After Quitting AAP, Sukhpal Singh Khaira Floats New Political Outfit |work=News18 |url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/days-after-quitting-aap-sukhpal-singh-khaira-floats-new-political-outfit-1995897.html |access-date=19 May 2022}} On 16 March 2019, Punjab Democratic Alliance announced his candidacy from Bathinda parliamentary constituency.{{cite news |title=Sukhpal Khaira to contest parliamentary polls from Bathinda constituency |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/sukhpal-khaira-to-contest-parliamentary-polls-from-bathinda-constituency-744137 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Tribune |date=17 March 2019 |language=en}}
On 25 April 2019 he resigned from Punjab Legislative Assembly.{{cite news |title=Sukhpal Khaira resigns as Bholath MLA |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/sukhpal-khaira-resigns-as-bholath-mla-763628 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Tribune |date=26 April 2019 |language=en}} On 23 May 2019, he lost from the Bathinda Lok Sabha Constituency.{{cite news |title=Bathinda Lok Sabha Elections Result 2019: Winning Political Party, Candidate, Vote Share |url=https://zeenews.india.com/elections/lok-sabha-constituencies/bathinda-lok-sabha-election-results-2019 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Zee News |language=en}}
= Member of Legislative Assembly 2022 - present =
On 10 March, Khaira won the Member of Legislative Assembly election for a third time from Bholath, this time as an Indian National Congress candidate.{{cite news |title=PunjabElections 2022 vote counting LIVE Updates: For Bholath Constituency |url=https://news.abplive.com/elections/bholath-election-2022-results-live-updates-constituency-vote-counting-winner-loser-tally-who-will-winpunjab-assembly-election-2022-latest-news-1518708 |access-date=11 March 2022 |work=ABP |date=10 March 2022}}{{cite web |title=Election Commission of India constituency wise result board |url=https://results.eci.gov.in/ResultAcGenMar2022/ConstituencywiseS1926.htm?ac=26 |website=eci.gov.in |access-date=11 March 2022}}
In July 2022, Khaira was appointed the chairman of the All India Kisan Congress.{{cite news |title=Sukhpal Khaira appointed as Chairman of All India Kisan Congress |url=https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=148630&headline=Sukhpal-Khaira-appointed-as-Chairman-of-All-India-Kisan-Congress |access-date=6 July 2023 |work=www.babushahi.com |date=14 July 2022}}{{cite news |title=Congress Rejects Committee On MSP, Terms It As 'Farcical Attempt' |url=https://news.abplive.com/agriculture/congress-sukhpal-singh-khaira-committee-msp-farcical-attempt-trivialising-serious-issues-all-india-kisan-congress-chairman-farmers-1543592 |access-date=6 July 2023 |work=ABP News |date=20 July 2022 |language=en}}
= 2024 Lok Sabha Elections from Sangrur =
In 2024 general elections, Khaira contested from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat where he was defeated by Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer of Aam Aadmi Party by a margin of 172560 votes.{{cite web |title=General Election to Parliamentary Constituencies: Trends & Results June-2024 Parliamentary Constituency 12 - Sangrur (Punjab) |url=https://results.eci.gov.in/PcResultGenJune2024/ConstituencywiseS1912.htm |website=Election Commission of India |access-date=6 November 2024}}
Controversies
Sukhpal Singh Khaira admitted to meeting Arvind Kejriwal in early 2015.{{cite news |last1=Sehgal |first1=Manjeet |title=Joining AAP a political blunder, Arvind Kejriwal a dictator: Sukhpal Singh Khaira |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/joining-aap-political-blunder-arvind-kejriwal-dictator-punjab-congress-sukhpal-singh-khaira-1810668-2021-06-04 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=India Today |date=4 June 2021 |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://sikhsiyasat.net/2015/03/03/bhagwant-mann-dr-gandhi-sadhu-singh-to-block-entry-of-sukhpal-khaira-in-aam-aadmi-party/|title=Bhagwant Mann, Dr. Gandhi, Sadhu Singh to block entry of Sukhpal Khaira in Aam Aadmi Party|date=3 March 2015|work=sikhsiyasat.net|access-date=19 May 2022}}{{cite news |title=Sukhpal Singh Khaira to join AAP soon, says Sucha Singh Chhotepur |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/sukhpal-singh-khaira-to-join-aap-soon-says-sucha-singh-chhotepur/story-kJH5Ap0pd4lBxRMH9QsH9M.html |access-date=11 March 2022 |work=Hindustan Times |date=28 February 201}} In 2018, he was removed as the Leader of Opposition of the Punjab assembly, because of his problems with the party.{{cite news|last=Sethi|first=Chitleen K|date=26 July 2018|title=One outburst too many, Punjab AAP replaces Sukhpal Singh Khaira as leader of opposition|url=https://theprint.in/politics/one-outburst-too-many-aap-replaces-khaira-as-leader-of-opposition-in-punjab/89155/|work=The Print|access-date=17 June 2021}}
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.{{cite news |title=No link with arrested drug smuggler: Khaira |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/no-link-with-arrested-drug-smuggler-khaira-51855 |access-date=11 March 2022 |work=Tribune |date=10 March 2015 |language=en}} 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.{{cite news |title=Cases against Simranjit Mann, Khaira false, says probe panel |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/cases-against-simranjit-mann-khaira-false-says-probe-panel-573567 |access-date=11 March 2022 |work=Tribune |date=14 April 2018 |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- {{Facebook|Sukhpal-Singh-Khaira-155566517802635|Sukhpal Singh Khaira}}
- {{YouTube|channel/UC0wy-wwS6y4m4FgzhtJuQlQ|Sukhpal Singh Khaira}}
{{Aam Aadmi Party}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khaira, Sukhpal Singh}}
Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2022–2027
Category:People from Kapurthala district
Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2012–2017
Category:Leaders of the opposition in Punjab, India
Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2017–2022
Category:Former members of Aam Aadmi Party from Punjab
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Punjab, India