Manpreet Badal resigns as MLA; likely to float new party

Former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal today resigned from the state Assembly and is likely to float his new party.

In his four-page resignation letter submitted to Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Badal accused the Punjab chief minister of "not understanding that the state was in debt and that it could work together with the Centre to avail debt waiver."

Manpreet was axed from the ministry after his statements regarding Punjab's Rs 70,000 crore debt.

The former finance minister said, "I was pained at the wisdom of the CM. It is his prerogative. I leave it to him (Badal) and for history to decide whether the decision of sacrificing the interest of Punjab was more important than anything else."

"In the light of this, I am tendering my resignation from Vidhan Sabha as MLA of SAD as well as resignation from primary membership of the party," he said.

An MLA from Gidderbaha since 1995, 48-year-old Manpreet was expelled from the SAD. He is likely to float his new party at Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahar tomorrow.

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