Reinstate Chhotepur by Sept 1 or face protest, say supporters

Supporters of Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) former state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur have demanded his reinstatement before September 1, failing which they will protest against Delhi-based party leaders and their appointed persons in the state.

Led by the six zone coordinators (out of 13), who are backing Chhotepur, the leader’s supporters met in SAS Nagar (Mohali) on Monday evening and chalked out a plan of action.

Party’s Anandpur Sahib zone coordinator JS Dhaliwal said Chhotepur should be reinstated and given all powers that a state convener of other party has. “He should be able to make appointments as also have freedom to review the choice of candidates,” said Dhaliwal.

Chhotepur supporters also added that the AAP should, till September 1, remove all those persons appointed by the party’s Delhi leadership. These include 13 zone observers and 39 sector observers.

“The party’s Punjab incharge Sanjay Singh and national organisation building in-charge Durgesh Pathak should also be divested of their responsibilities in Punjab,” added Dhaliwal.

Dhaliwal, accompanied by other zonal coordinators Gurinder Singh Bajwa (Amritsar), Narinder Pal Bhagta Bhai (Bathinda), Amandeep Singh Gill (Gurdaspur) and HS Cheema (Jalandhar) said the next course of action would be announced after September 1.

Chhotepur was removed from the post of convener last week following a cash sting operation that showed him accepting money from an AAP supporter. A two-member committee was formed to inquire into the sting and other allegations of bribery against him.

One of the committee members, former IAS officer Jasbir Singh Bir, said the committee was yet to begin its work as the other member of the committee MLA Jarnail Singh is unwell and hospitalised.

“Once he is out of the hospital, we will see the video sting and then call Chhotepur for his remarks,” he said. Chhotepur has already said that he will not cooperate with the inquiry committee.

Chhotepur had denied the allegations terming it a conspiracy hatched against him by some of my own partymen.