Out of AAP, Chhotepur floats APP

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 1

Former AAP state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur launched the Aapna Punjab Party (APP) here today.

Addressing a press conference, he said APP would be part of the Punjab Progressive Alliance, which includes rebel AAP MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi’s Lok Punjab Front and other groups.

The former AAP leader said the alliance would contest all 117 seats in the state.

APP has Chhotepur as its president, Hardeep Singh Kingra, general secretary, and Harjinder Singh Cheema, treasurer. Chhotepur said the other office-bearers would be announced shortly. He stated that Punjab needed a new regional party as the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had both compromised the state’s interests. Accusing AAP of doublespeak, he alleged that the party was no different from the traditional ones.

He said the SAD had been reduced to ‘Badal and Company’, which was taking care only of the ruling family’s interests. Chhotepur ruled out an alliance with the SAD, Congress and AAP. On Navjot Singh Sidhu, he said he had offered a top post in the party to the former MP. “I waited for 16 days, but he didn’t respond. Otherwise, I would have announced my party over two weeks ago,” he said.