Swaraj Abhiyan may unveil new party plans next week

Eyeing at Punjab Assembly elections, former Aam Aadmi Party leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan-led Swaraj Abhiyan is likely to unveil plans to form a political party next week.

The group, which was formed by Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan after their expulsion from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) last year, will turn an year old on April 14.

“We will set the ball rolling for announcement of a political party. We are going to make our electoral intentions clear on April 14. We will announce plans that are necessary for forming the party like setting different committees,” a Swaraj Abhiyan leader said.

“We will also make announcement that the new party will be under the purview of the Right to Information Act,” the leader added.

Till now, the Swaraj Abhiyan leaders have maintained that their current outfit is apolitical but have never really denied the possibility to venture into electoral politics. The announcement of the launch of a new party will be significant as many of its leaders are learnt to be in favour of contesting next year’s assembly elections in Punjab.

The AAP has already launched a high-pitched campaign in the state with its convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal spending quite a few days there recently. Swaraj Abhiyan’s entry in Punjab elections will give an interesting turn to the political contest for the state.

Two of the four AAP MPs from Punjab Dharamvira Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa were suspended in August last year for alleged anti-party activities and support Swaraj Abhiyan.

Swaraj Abhiyan has also decided to contest MCD byelections, setting the stage for a direct electoral fight with AAP in Delhi.