The political limbo of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislator Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi, who switched to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) last year, took centre stage during a special session of the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa directly confronted Sukhi, demanding clarity on which political party he officially represents.
A Defection in Limbo
Sukhwinder Sukhi, the MLA from Banga, had quit the SAD to join the ruling AAP in August 2024. Following his crossover, the AAP government appointed him as the chairman of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, a position with Cabinet rank. However, a critical procedural step remains incomplete: Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan is yet to accept Sukhi's resignation from the SAD.
This delay has created a constitutional ambiguity. Legally, Sukhi remains an SAD MLA in the House, but he holds a government post from the AAP. This situation has triggered a potential disqualification case under the anti-defection law, which is currently pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Should the Speaker eventually accept the resignation, it would force a by-election in the Banga constituency.
Floor of the House Confrontation
The issue erupted when Sukhi rose to speak on a resolution concerning the replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the central government's Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G) scheme. Seated on the Opposition benches alongside his former Akali colleagues, Sukhi began to praise the Bhagwant Mann-led government's welfare schemes.
At this point, Congress leader Partap Bajwa intervened, posing a pointed question to Deputy Speaker Jai Kishan Rouri, who was presiding. "He should clarify which party he belongs to. Since he is the chairman of a government corporation, the House should be told if he is getting the time to speak from the time allotted to the Opposition or if he is an AAP candidate," Bajwa asserted.
The Deputy Speaker, taken aback, initially asked Bajwa to let Sukhi continue, promising to provide the information later. Bajwa, however, stood his ground, emphasising that the MLA's status must be clarified for the record.
Political Sparring and Dalit Card
AAP president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora responded to Bajwa's challenge, stating, "He is to us what Sandeep Jakhar is to the Congress." Bajwa quickly retorted that Jakhar was no longer a member of the Congress party.
As Bajwa persisted, AAP legislators launched a counter-attack, accusing him of being anti-Dalit. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Deputy Speaker Rouri questioned why Bajwa was attempting to stifle a discussion on the rights of Dalits and labourers. Cheema labelled the Congress an "anti-Dalit party" that did not want a proper debate to take place.
Amid the heated exchange, Sukhi was finally allowed to complete his speech, where he extolled the virtues of the AAP government's initiatives like free electricity, Aam Aadmi Clinics, and free travel for women.
The episode underscores the ongoing legal and political tightrope walk for defector MLAs in Punjab. With a high court case pending and the Speaker's decision awaited, Sukhi's situation remains a potent symbol of the complexities embedded in India's anti-defection law, often leading to dramatic confrontations on the floor of the legislative assembly.
