A major setback for Arvind Kejriwal and AAP before Punjab assembly polls as 80 office-bearers of Khadoor Sahib zone resigned in support of AAP’s former Punjab convener Suchha Singh Chhotepur.

The AAP volunteers threw photograph of party chief Arvind Kejriwal out of the office, burnt his posters and raised slogans against him.

Suchha Singh Chhotepur is on ‘Punjab Parivartan Yatra’ after being sacked by the party.

Sucha Singh Chhotepur addressed a gathering of ‘volunteers’ in Patiala on Saturday, alleging that AAP leaders from Delhi had almost put his 40-year political career in jeopardy, but the volunteers had reinstated his honour. There was an estimated crowd of about 300 persons whom Chhotepur declared as volunteers.

Chhotepur alleged that the party has allocated tickets to rich favourites and forgot it aam adami agenda. He further added that he was not consulted by the party while distributing tickets.

Chhotepur claimed that 50 % of the intellectuals who had been extended support to the party had withdrawn from the party. He did not drop any hint of his next step but said that on September 16 his yatra would end and after that he would declare his next step.

AAP dismissed the claim about the number of volunteers, because they were allegedly roped in by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The party alleged that Chhotepur’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ was fuelled by the ruling SAD (Badal).