▁seats ▁and ▁third ▁party ▁status . ▁Y uk on ▁Liberal ▁leader ▁Arthur ▁Mitchell ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁his ▁re - e lection ▁campaign ▁and ▁res igned ▁on ▁election ▁night . ▁As ▁the ▁only ▁Liberal ▁M LA ▁with ▁experience ▁( the ▁other ▁being ▁then - ro ok ie ▁M LA ▁Sand y ▁Silver ), ▁E lias ▁became ▁inter im ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁party . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁E lias ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁inter im ▁Liberal ▁leader ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁party ▁c au cus ▁to ▁sit ▁as ▁an ▁Independent ▁M LA . ▁Ele ven ▁months ▁later , ▁on ▁July ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁E lias ▁crossed ▁the ▁floor ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁c au cus ▁of ▁the ▁gover ning ▁Y uk on ▁Party . ▁The ▁move ▁was ▁controvers ial ▁not ▁only ▁in ▁that ▁a ▁former ▁party ▁leader ▁defect ed , ; ▁E lias ' ▁defe ction ▁also ▁granted ▁the ▁Y uk on ▁Party ▁a ▁majority ▁on ▁the ▁Select ▁Committee ▁on ▁H yd ra ul ic ▁F ract uring , ▁which ▁was ▁struck ▁to ▁examine ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁fra ck ing ▁in ▁the ▁Y uk on . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁f ined ▁$ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁for ▁ref using ▁a ▁breath aly zer ▁test ▁and ▁using ▁a ▁cell phone ▁while ▁driving . ▁His ▁license ▁was ▁tempor arily ▁susp ended ▁and ▁he ▁public ly ▁admitted ▁to ▁having ▁an ▁alco hol ▁problem .