Rebel MP Dr Gaurav Sharma has resigned from Parliament triggering a by-election in Hamilton West.
He's made more bombshell claims about his party, including an allegation the Labour Party was planning to forcibly remove him from Parliament using the waka-jumping legislation - a claim the Prime Minister rejects.
Here he goes again: Dr Gaurav Sharma was up in political Siberia on Tuesday, sitting alone in the backbenches of the House taking on the Prime Minister. He sat through jeers as he asked his question.
Moments later, there was Sharmageddon in the form of a bright pink Facebook post. He's gone - resigning his seat - forcing a by-election.
"I will be running in the by-election, yes," he said.
His constituents are off to the polls again.
"It's a bit sad that it has ended this way," one person in Hamilton West said.
"I think it was probably inevitable. What other way out was there really?" said another.
Dr Sharma torpedoed the party into scandal. He claimed he was bullied and was then expelled from caucus after this August interview with Newshub in which he released a secret recording of one of his caucus colleagues.
Over the weekend Dr Sharma became convinced Labour was going to boot him out of the Parliament altogether using the waka-jumping legislation.
But Labour rejects that
"That particular claim has no basis whatsoever," said Labour's Grant Robertson.
Asked if he had any evidence Labour was about to kick him out of Parliament, Dr Sharma said: "I have had conversations with members of the New Zealand Council [Labour's governing body]".
He said he didn't record those conversations.
Dr Sharma claims the plan was to waka jump him later next year. If an MP leaves within six months of a general election, no by-election is held to replace them.
So he took things into his own hands, blindsiding Labour's top brass.
"You just told me that he has resigned. I haven't heard anything about it," said Chris Hipkins.
"It is what it is. Dr Sharma has made his decision," said Robertson.
Dr Sharma said he let the Speaker know his decision.
It prompted an angry statement from the Prime Minister.
"We have not and are not considering the waka jumping provisions nor do I know the basis of Gaurav Sharma's speculation," Jacinda Ardern said.
"Gaurav may wish to reconsider his decision given he is unnecessarily costing the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars to trigger a by-election he then intends to stand in."
Dr Sharma said it is up to the people of Hamilton West to decide who should be their MP.
He's digging his heels in - and dragging his former party into the most public of political punch-ups.
