Chhotepur to float party today

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandiagrh, September 20

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur is all set to float a political outfit tomorrow which is likely to be named Aam Lok Party (Punjab). The outfit will forge an electoral alliance with Navjot Singh Sidhu-led Awaaz-e-Punjab.

Chhotepur's associate, a former AAP zone in-charge, said they had earlier decided on naming the outfit Aam Aadmi Party-Punjab. “But, we can’t do that as a party named thus is already registered with the Election Commission. So, we will form Aam Lok Party, Punjab,” he explained.

He said a draft constitution of the outfit was ready and would be finalised at a meeting here tomorrow. "The party will have its offices at Chandigarh or Mohali. Efforts are also afoot to set up district-level committees," he said.

When contacted, Chhotepur, refused to share any details, saying, "forming a party is a long process and may take more time." Another Chhotepur aide, ruling out a merger with Awaaz-e-Punjab, said: “They don’t have a pan-Punjab organisational structure like we do. Hence, we will forge an alliance with them."

Earlier, to initiate talks with Awaaz-e-Punjab and leaders of other outfits, Chhotepur had constituted a three-member committee comprising Gurinder Singh Bajwa, Col Jasjeet Singh Gill and Hardeep Singh Kingra.