Strategy behind humiliating Chhotepur involves making way for Kejriwal in Punjab: Congress

Asserting that the removal of Sucha Singh Chhotepur as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab chief on charges of corruption was an 'orchestrated strategy', the Congress Party on Saturday said that the game plan behind his removal is to prepare the ground for AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal's move from Delhi to Punjab.

"The humiliation of Sucha Singh Chhotepur is the part of an orchestrated strategy by the AAP in order to create a situation where Kejriwal, having made a mess out of Delhi, is able to move out and come to Punjab and that strategy involves the pygmyisation of the established AAP leadership in Punjab," Congress leader Manish Tewari told ANI here.

Listing out instances where the AAP had 'marginalised' their own, he added that "there is one gentleman who has a very colourful character, therefore is not taken seriously," in reference to Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann and asserted that the "only man who had a certain amount of gravitas" had been humiliated now.

"By humiliating him (Chhotepur), they have completely and absolutely demolished themselves, but the game plan behind the demolition is to prepare the ground for Kejriwal's move from Delhi to Punjab. For the AAP in Punjab, they cows have come home a little early in the day," Tewari said.

Meanwhile, Chhotepur, who was yesterday sacked from the post of party's Punjab convener following allegations of seeking bribe for allotting party tickets, on Saturday demanded for a CBI probe, insisting that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party could defame him if he is found guilty.

Talking to ANI, Chhotepur said he was very much surprised by this decision of the party.

"A transparent system should have been framed. A committee is formed after my removal. A standard process is that a committee is formed first and then the decision is taken. But it was not the case with me," Chotepur said.

"I want to tell them that the people whom they have included in the committee were recommending for my removal. I yesterday said this and I reiterate that if I had done any wrong deed then there should be a CBI inquiry. If I am found guilty, they can defame me," he added.

AAP Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann earlier in the day said that the alleged bribery case against Chhotepur will be probed by a committee constituted by the party.

Mann said the committee will investigate all aspects and recommend its verdict, based on which, the party will decide its future course of action.

Amid sharp criticism following accusations of him taking bribes for assigning constituencies to party candidates for the assembly elections in Punjab to be held early next year, an extremely disappointed Chhotepur told media that Arvind Kejriwal did not trust Punjabis.