Swaraj Abhiyan to hold ‘internal polls’

Stopping short of announcing the launch of a political outfit, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav on Thursday said his organisation would hold internal polls at district level to form a national committee that would then take a decision on the issue.

The Abhiyan, which was formed by former AAP leaders a year ago on this day, will hold internal elections on the lines of the US primaries, starting from the district level to appoint a national-level committee in the next 2-3 months. This committee will take a final call on forming a political party, Mr Yadav said. “We are not an NGO, but a movement for establishment of alternative politics. We have set a yardstick for ourselves and this requires setting up of units at the district levels in at least one-third of six states spanning 100 districts. In the next 2-3 months, the district units will appoint members for state units, which will appoint a national committee. The national committee will take a decision on forming a political party,” Mr Yadav said at the inauguration of the outfit’s Delhi unit.

Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan, one of the founders of the outfit, was not present. “We are providing people a platform to elect their own candidate. Swaraj Abhiyan will only facilitate the process, scan candidates for corruption and criminal charges and this will be done by an election committee,” Mr Yadav said.

When asked whether the Abhiyan would contest the Punjab Assembly polls next year, Mr Yadav said the national committee will take a call on this after the internal polls. The Abhiyan had backed Bhai Baldeep Singh as an Independent candidate for Khadoor Sahib bypoll, but he was disqualified during the screening process on technical grounds.

Mr Yadav, however, said that the outfit will be backing an Independent candidate for the MCD bypolls in 13 wards next month. Without taking any name, Mr Yadav said the Abhiyan’s process of people electing prospective candidates, has rattled those in power.

“We had put some posters. They were torn down. Then our volunteers were detained at the Keshavpuram police station. This process of people electing candidates has rattled the ones in power,” he said. Former AAP leader Anand Kumar said Kamini Jaiswal, a noted lawyer, and Pawan Gupta will be the first Lokpal of Swaraj Abhiyan.