Aam Admi Party’s Punjab unit chief Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who is facing the accusation of taking money for issuing tickets, is likely to be removed from his post soon. Parliamentary Affairs Committee, party’s top decision-making body, will make a final decision on Chhotepur’s fate tomorrow. As per reports, Sucha Singh Chhotepur was allegedly caught accepting bribes in a sting operation, which was later shown to party convenor Arvind Kejriwal upon his return from Himachal Pradesh.
Notably, AAP’s Punjab chief had expressed objections over the two lists of candidates announced by the party and was absent at both press conferences where the lists were declared earlier this month. However, Chhotepur said that he has no information about party mulling any action against him. The leader said that he would never do anything which harms the party.
The controversy surrounding Chhotepur comes as set back for AAP as the party is trying tooth and nail for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Chhotepur is a senior leader in Punjab and considered as a pioneer in creating a base for AAP in the state. A former SAD MLA, Chhotepur was once a close aide of former chief minister captain Amarinder Singh. Chhotepur and Amrinder, along with 22 SAD MLAs quit the former chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala government in protest of uniformed police action in the Amritsar’s Golden Temple. Elections are scheduled in Punjab early next year. AAP won 4 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 general elections in the state.