Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday removed its Punjab convener Sucha Singh Chottepur, but not before the convener-turned-critic did collateral damage to the party.
In a strategic move, he launched a scathing attack at his party just before his expulsion, virtually derailing its election campaign in Punjab.
Accused of taking “bribe” for assigning constituencies to party candidates for 2017 Assembly polls, Chhotepur has been given a last chance to “explain his position”.
The decision to oust Chhotepur was taken during the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC), but the final decision has been left on the disciplinary committee. “It has been decided that the party’s disciplinary committee would look into the matter before taking the final call,” a senior AAP leader told The Pioneer.
The leader added that it was also decided that Chhotepur would be given a chance to explain the situation before taking the final decision.
The move came after 21 AAP leaders from Punjab, including two sitting MPs, and heads of its various wings, have written a letter to the party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and PAC urging to immediately “sack” Chhotepur based on “our party’s principles of zero tolerance towards corruption.”
Chhotepur was in the eye of storm after a video clip surfaced allegedly showing him taking money in a purported sting operation, which has been seen by Kejriwal earlier this month.
Earlier in the day, Chhotepur made it clear that he would not quit the party and would wait for high command’s decision. But his announcement did not deter him from accusing the party of being against the Punjabis and unaware of Sikh tradition.
“I will not leave the party. I built it brick by brick in the last two-and-a-half years. let the party take action against me. I have done nothing wrong,” Chhotepur said while addressing the media in Chandigarh.
“AAP leadership neither has faith in Punjabis nor they are much aware of the Sikh tradition and give heed to it,” said Chhotepur.
Chhotepur, narrating an episode on the controversy surrounding AAP’s youth manifesto having picture of party’s symbol ‘broom’ superimposed on the picture of the Golden Temple, said that Kejriwal was unhappy for telling the truth that the title was not shown to him.
“Kejriwal asked me that I should have admitted that the title was shown to me…When I said that I am a Sikh and I would have been in trouble and may face excommunication, Kejriwal said, “Then whatIJ” which clearly indicates that AAP leadership neither trusts Sikhs nor give heed to Sikh tradition,” he said.
Training his guns at the AAP leadership, Chhotepur minced no words to say that his own party men “conspired” against him to “oust him” from the party he put his “blood and sweat into”.
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AAP removes its Punjab convener Chottepur
“I have been framed by a conspiracy of my own friends in AAP,” he alleged while particularly blaming party’s national spokesperson and state’s organizational secretary Durgesh Pathak for the present situation.
“Pathak is in complete control of the party for Punjab affairs and is handling ticket to candidates, joining of leaders of other parties as well as funds,” said Chhotepur.
Defending himself on the “bribe” charges, he said: “I am not such a light man to get sold over one or two lakh rupees. I have spent 40 years in politics and no one can raise a finger on me. There is a clear conspiracy against me by some people to oust me.”
“I am ready to be probed by the CBI on the charges of corruption,” he declared, adding that in I have done anything wrong, they should order a CBI inquiry against me. I am an honest man, he said.
Chhotepur’s move was being seen as an attempt to cause the maximum damage to the party’s ‘Mission 2017’ before parting ways with it.
It came at a time when speculation of his joining the Congress is rife. Notably, Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh has all along been lavishing praises on Chhotepur and even offered him to join his party.
On this, Chhotepur quipped, “AAP is conspiring against me and my political opponents are defending me.”
Chhotepur went on to blame that the party functions from Delhi and leaders in Punjab have no control over it.
“AAP has no system in place about the expenditure…The party never released any money for his expenditure. I am using my own money on party activities and is on the mercy of Good Samaritan who have been paying for the fuel and other sundry expenses,” said Chhotepur.
He rued that Kejriwal and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had not given him the opportunity to explain his side. “It (the present controversy) is unfortunate for Punjab. AAP was the state’s last hope. Some of the tickets have been distributed wrongly,” he added.
Stating that he was never for the Chief Minister’s post, Chhotepur alleged that AAP was in league with the Akali Dal to put up weak candidates.