Bugged by the “cash sting”, the entire Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party has come together against its State convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur urging the party high command to “sack” him immediately.
AAP senior leaders from Punjab, including its MPs Prof Sadhu Singh, Bhagwant Mann, and party candidates advocate HS Phoolka, legal Cell president Himmat Singh Shergill, spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira, among others, have shot off a strong-worded communique to party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal to “remove” the “tainted” State unit chief from the party on corruption charges.
The letter came after a video sting showing Chhotepur allegedly accepting a cash packet from a party worker came forth. However, the video has been kept under wraps so far but its presence and contents have been acknowledged by Chhotepur himself.
Chottepur has constantly been denying the allegations of corruption and even dared to make the video clip public to prove his innocence.
Party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) also held hours-long meeting to discuss the issue with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. There are reports that AAP may anytime remove Chottepur. Till the filing of this report, no such decision has been taken. However, the name of advocate-turned-politician Himmat Singh Shergill is doing the rounds as Chhotepur’s replacement.
On the other hand, Chhotepur has announced to address a press conference on Friday to “reveal the actual truth” before the people of Punjab.
“I have been working day and night to strengthen this party but some of my party colleagues are trying to tarnish my image by levelling false and baseless allegations. I will be holding a press conference in this connection to bring out the truth before the people of Punjab,” he said.
The letter, signed by a total of 18 AAP leaders and addressed to Kejriwal and party’s Political Affairs Committee, highlighted the “corruption of Sucha Singh Chhotepur”.
Maintaining that the party was “born out of an ‘andolan’ against corruption”, the party leaders stated that the leadership and the volunteers of AAP Punjab “urge to sack present convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur without any delay and to replace him with an honest person to take this movement forward”.
“Our party’s principles of zero tolerance towards corruption must be followed and such a corrupt person must be immediately removed; especially, someone who is entrusted to lead hundreds of thousands of volunteers and state leaders,” they demanded.
The leaders pointed, “all of us as volunteers put our blood and sweat since formation of party to work towards corruption free society; nevertheless, we are highly upset and disappointed to see media reports in regards to acceptance of bribe by State convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur”.
They added, “Such an event by convenor of a party formed to eradicate these practices, not only affects us morally but also emotionally.”
“For past few weeks, there had been whispers across Punjab about his conduct and practices but his confession, in an interview and also to some party leaders, demands an immediate action by Political Affairs Committee of Party,” added the leaders.
They stressed that in Punjab, all citizens truly believe that AAP is the right option to root out corrupt SAD and Congress, the same is also reflected in every independent and objective survey.