SAD, Cong only 'nurtured' own families: AAP

AAP today launched a scathing attack on SAD and Congress, accusing both parties of "nurturing" their own families and said they will face "humiliating" defeat in the 2017 assembly polls.
"Both SAD and Congress have nurtured their own families and indulged in corruption. Badal family had amassed huge properties while the names of family members of Captain (Amarinder Singh) having accounts in Swiss banks has also come to the fore," Sucha Singh Chhotepur, AAP's Punjuab Convener said here.
Asserting that AAP will contest assembly polls to save Punjab, Chhotepur alleged that both SAD and Congress would contest to "escape jail" and "hide their corrupt practices".

"When both parties come to know that AAP is winning, they will unite. Both parties will face humiliating defeat in 2017 polls," he claimed.
Chhotepur said Punjab was facing the biggest problem of corruption and drugs at this moment.
"Farmers are committing suicides as their condition is pitiable. Industry was migrating to other states because of anti-people policies of the state government," he said.

He said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to come to Punjab in February. "Kejriwal will be requested to take a meeting of volunteers after Maghi Mela in January. Then a big conference will be held in Punjab in February next year in which Kejriwal will be invited to attend," he said.

He said Kejriwal will stay in Punjab after the elections are announced in the state and candidates are finalised by the party. "After March and April next year, AAP MLAs and ministers will start visiting Punjab in the wake of upcoming polls," he said.
He claimed that 26 lakh people had joined AAP in the state as part of its recruitment drive.
Reacting to reported remarks of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who called Chhotepur as Amarinder Singh's aide, the AAP leader said Badal has become "arrogant". "I am a simple man and not an aide of anybody," he said.

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With Chhotepur deciding to meet volunteers to formulate his next course of action, Ghuggi said, "He is a senior leader...He should join investigation and prove the party wrong".
However, he slammed Chhotepur for pointing fingers at the two-member AAP panel for probing allegations against him.
About Chhotepur demanding making public the video clip showing him "accepting money", Ghuggi asked how can it be done so when the panel is investigating the matter.
AAP had recently constituted a two-member probe panel, headed by its Rajouri Garden (Delhi) MLA and Punjab co-ordinator Jarnail Singh and comprising head of the grievance cell Jasbir Singh Bir, to look into the allegations against Chhotepur, who has maintained that in his political career he has "never taken money from anyone".

On Kejriwal's proposed Punjab tour starting from September 8, Ghuggi said that it would be a boost to the party.
Kejriwal plans to undertake his Punjab visit amid party facing "crisis" after Chhotepur was removed as Punjab convenor. The final programme of Kejriwal is yet to be finalised but he is scheduled to release AAP's farmers' manifesto on September 11 in Moga.