Sucha Singh Chhotepur rules out any reconciliation with AAP, says party humiliated him

Chandigarh: Sacked AAP Punjab convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur on Wednesday ruled out any reconciliation with the party after senior leader Sanjay Singh approached to placate him on Monday fearing splits in the local unit ahead of the Punjab assembly polls. [caption id=“attachment_2985400” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sucha Singh Chhotepur. Twitter/ @SChotepur[/caption] “Surprised” by the massive support pouring in for Chhotepur from across Punjab after his removal, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears to have softened its stand on him and decided not to make any comments on this issue. The party’s senior leader and Punjab affairs-in-charge Sanjay Singh met Chhotepur at his house in Mohali on Monday as part of the party’s efforts to placate the upset leader. “Yes, he (Sanjay Singh) came to my house. I told him there is no need to placate me as the party has tried to damage me. Morally, I am not with you. If you want to keep me for your gain it is up to you,” Chhotepur said on Wednesday. “The party has not only thrown me out but also humiliated me,” he further said. Chhotepur said it is the massive support of volunteers and media which saved me. “It is a rebirth for me,” he said, showing no signs of reconciliation with the party for which he said he put two-and-half years to build in the state. On Tuesday, Sanjay Singh had said that the party had decided not to make any comment on Chhotepur till the two-member probe panel submits its report on allegations of bribery against the party leader. The party is apparently surprised at the support which Chhotepur had received from several parts of Punjab after he was removed. Chhotepur, who held a key position in the party, was removed as convener after a video clip surfaced allegedly showing him taking bribe for giving tickets in a purported sting operation. He has decided to start touring Punjab after paying obeisance at Golden Temple in Amritsar on 3 September. During his tour, he will meet his supporters and volunteers to seek their opinion on his future course of action. “I will start touring Punjab to seek opinions and views of supporters on next course of action. Whatever consensus comes out I will accept it,” Chhotepur said. After his removal, his loyalists had launched a protest in Gurdaspur, the leader’s home district, against AAP and had burnt the effigy of party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal. AAP’s six parliamentary zonal coordinators have passed a resolution in support of Chhotepur and gave time to the party till 1 September for his reinstatement. They had also demanded that Chhotepur should be reinstated and the team members including Sanjay Singh, Durgesh Pathak, zonal observers who had come from Delhi should be called back.