Chhotepur announces Aapna Punjab Party

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 1

Former Aam Aadmi Party state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur announced a new political party--the Aapna Punjab Party--here on Saturday.

He said the party would contest all 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly elections under the Punjab Progressive Alliance.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Addressing a press conference here, Chhotepur said the Aapna Punjab Party would contest elections as part of Punjab Progressive Alliance. Dr Dharamvir Gandhi and several other groups would also be part of the alliance, he added.

Chhotepur, who tendered his resignation from the AAP yesterday, said floating of a regional party was the “need of the hour” after national parties like the Congress, BJP, AAP and regional party SAD “failed” to take care of the interests of Punjab.

“(Parkash Singh) Badal who should have taken interest in overall development of the state was busy in promoting his family’s interest. The Congress has also ignored the interest of Punjab.

“While the AAP which promised the moon to people did the opposite of what it promised. I was not given any fund, political power and it ignored the interest of the volunteers,”

“It is essential for Punjab to have a regional party which can take care of the interests of Punjab. Several regional parties in other states are already performing well,” Chhotepur said, adding the outfit will soon announce its district presidents and state committee.

On queries about tie-up with Navjot Singh Sidhu-led Awaaz-e-Punjab, Chhotepur said he would welcome the former cricketer turned politician if he wanted to have an alliance with him.

“Many people are in contact with us to work and the Punjab Progressive Alliance will be set up to jointly fight elections in all 117 seats,” he said.

He said suspended AAP MP Dharamvira Gandhi has also given his “blessings” to him.

While submitting his resignation, Chhotepur accused party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal of not trusting him and not giving him any functional authority to run the party in Punjab.

Chhotepur was sacked as state convener on August 26 after a video clip surfaced allegedly showing him taking bribe in exchange for poll tickets in a purported sting operation.

After his sacking, the AAP had constituted a two-member probe panel comprising Jarnail Singh, party’s co-convenor in Punjab, and head of administrative and grievance cell Jasbir Singh Bir to look into the allegations of bribe against Chhotepur. But Chhotepur never appeared before the panel. With PTI inputs