CHANDIGARH: After hurriedly removing its Punjab convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur from the post, Aam Aadmi Party AAP ) leadership now appears to be reworking its strategy even as it walks into the insider-outsider trap of rival parties. By removing Chhotepur , the party tried to get rid of not just its most prominent Sikh face but in the process also gave him an opportunity to accuse the party leadership of not respecting ethos of local communities and running the show through Delhi-based leaders.The move to bring in cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Sidhu to brighten the party's chances running into trouble hasn't helped the cause.On Tuesday, party in charge of Punjab affairs Sanjay Singh confirmed that at a party meeting on Monday, it has been decided not to publicly criticise Chhotepur. "He is still a member of the party and the matter is pending before the two-member inquiry committee," he said, adding that it was for the panel to take a call on making the sting video against Chhotepur pubic on the basis of which he has been accused of financial bungling.Even as AAP tries to soften its stance, Chhotepur told TOI that his possibility of making truce was bleak even if the party was to reach out to him. "I have been deeply pained by the entire episode. I just can't get over it. I don't need their clean chit as people of Punjab and the Almighty will see me through this crisis. It is just like rebirth for me as my own party had tried its best to see the last of me."Interestingly, party leaders, who have been too enthused about demanding Chhotepur's sack on Friday, are now listing out his achievements as convener of the party for two years. "It is up to the probe panel to decide on his fate. The rival parties cannot be given a chance to enjoy the situation if there is open criticism of a party leader. Meanwhile, a clean chit cannot be ruled out based on how incriminating the evidence is," said one of those leaders.Those following the party observe that AAP's campaign for the assembly elections due in January, 2017 may have peaked a bit too early. "The Maghi Mela rally of the party in January was its high point and since then the party's graph has only taken a dip. It seems to have miscalculated its tirade against Chhotepur and is now retreating even though leaders like HS Phookla are believed to have cautioned the party," said a former AAP leader, requesting anonymity. Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh said on Friday, "There is conclusive evidence that the non-Punjabi leaders of AAP were using scornful and derogatory language against the Sikh leaders and even making fun of their religious symbols, like saying that the Sikhs have their brains in their beards. Kejriwal has also been heard poking fun at the Punjabi and Sikh leaders and there was grave resentment among the local cadres. I will release the evidence in due course of time." AAP's rival parties – Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) – have already been plotting their campaign against it based on the insider-outsider slogan. The ‘Punjab da Captain' campaign of Congress and ‘Proud to be Akali' initiative of SAD were strategized to take on AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal if he were to aspire to be Punjab CM but these build-up has come in handy in highlighting AAP's poor understanding of local ethos.Asked about why AAP was getting repeatedly caught in controversies involving hurting of religious sentiments, incharge of Punjab affairs Sanjay Singh said, "Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal is the most secular person and such assumptions are not correct."