Chandigarh, Apr 25 (IANS): Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Thursday resigned as the legislator from the Bholath Assembly seat in Punjab.

He submitted his resignation to Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K.P. Singh.

Khaira was elected in the February 2017 Assembly elections on a Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket. However, he quit the party in January this year and floated a new regional party - Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP).

Khaira is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Bathinda parliamentary seat.

Suspended from the AAP in November last year for his "anti-party activities", Khaira claimed the support of 7-8 AAP legislators in his camp.

Earlier, Khaira had ruled out his resignation from the Punjab Assembly even after quitting the AAP and said that the Assembly speaker will decide on his status.

Khaira was the Leader of Opposition (LoP) till July last year when he was a part of the AAP which got 20 seats in the 117-member Assembly.