AAP stands divided over Chhotepur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 25

As 21 members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today sought sacking of party’s state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur for allegedly seeking money from a volunteer, the issue is threatening to cause a major divide in the party.

Chhotepur has got support from several party leaders and has also decided to hit back strongly. He announced today that he would “expose the party’s wrongdoings tomorrow and the conspiracy against him”.

The party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) is likely to meet at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence tomorrow to take a final call on his removal, said sources.

Kejriwal has reportedly refused to meet Chhotepur and asked him to file his clarification before the party's Punjab state committee.

Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa, a member of the Political Review Committee, has come out in support of Chhotepur, calling him an honest politician.

Randhawa has accused Kejriwal of succumbing to the pressure from a coterie in the party and ignoring the ground realities. He alleged that the party was not run on democratic values. Giving an example of the autocratic way of running of the party, he said not a single meeting of the Political Review Committee had been called so far. Randhawa is likely to accompany Chhotepur to the latter’s press conference tomorrow.

A number of AAP leaders confess that the party has suffered a blow due to the controversy. “We were going well in Punjab. Now we are in troubled waters. The way whole episode of Chhotepur is conducted has disappointed the volunteers,” said a leader.

The 21 members, who have written the letter to Kejriwal included Faridkot MP Prof Sadhu Singh, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, HS Phoolka, Himmat Singh Shergill, Sukhpal Khaira, Yamini Gomar, Harjot Singh Bains and Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi.

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