Phoolka’s resignation under consideration, says Punjab speaker

CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Harvinder Singh Phoolka met Punjab assembly speaker Rana KP Singh on Tuesday to confirm that he had sent his resignation from the membership of the House two months ago.

The Dakha MLA emailed his resignation to the speaker on October 12 to register his protest against the failure of the Congress government in Punjab to take action against former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and former director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini in 2015 sacrilege and police firing cases.

“I gave a letter that I had sent my resignation, but have not got any response till now,” he told HT after the meeting. When contacted, Rana KP said the MLA met him to confirm his resignation. “His resignation is under consideration. I am yet to see whether it is as per the format,” he added. The three-day winter session of the Punjab assembly is scheduled to commence on December 13.

Phoolka, a Supreme Court lawyer, sent the resignation letter listing reasons for his move, whereas a one-line letter stating that the member concerned is resigning from the House is the norm.

If Phoolka’s resignation is accepted, the strength of AAP, the principal opposition party in the state assembly, will come down to 19.