Expelled Aam Aadmi Party leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav are mulling floating a political party to contest the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, at a time when the AAP has launched a fierce camp
Expelled Aam Aadmi Party leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav are mulling floating a political party to contest the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, at a time when the AAP has launched a fierce campaign headed by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Swaraj Abhiyan, a group formed by the duo and their supporters after their expulsion from the AAP, said they are “seriously thinking” about contesting the Assembly elections in Punjab.
“We intend to launch a political party soon, but no date has been fixed. But yes, we are seriously thinking about contesting the Punjab polls,” a senior Swaraj Abhiyan leader told PTI. Meanwhile, the party has said it will “back” musician Bhai Baldeep Singh from Khadoor Sahib Assembly during the bypoll in Punjab next month.
“The Swaraj Abhiyan is currently a non-political organisation and we don’t hope to launch the party by next month. Bhai Baldeep Singh will contest as an Independent and will be backed by the Swaraj Abhiyan. We will be putting all our weight behind him,” he said.
Bhai Baldeep Singh, who is also part of the national executive of the organisation, said, “Swaraj Abhiyan’s support is crucial for the polls.”
Mr Yadav and other Swaraj Abhiyan leaders are also expected to campaign for Mr Singh next month and the decision to support him was taken on Sunday. He had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls on an AAP ticket from Khadoor Sahib but had lost. The seat fell vacant after Congress MLA Ramanjit Singh Sikki resigned from the Assembly in protest against the sacrilege incidents in the state.
“We have to start somewhere. We have a candidate for Khadoor Sahib who knows the constituency well and is also a popular face,” the leader added.
Incidentally, the AAP is pulling out all stops to ensure its victory in Punjab. Last week, Mr Kejriwal addressed a mega rally in the state.
The Swaraj Abhiyan draws a significant number of volunteers and leaders from the AAP, who were either expelled or they resigned after the removal of Mr Bhushan, Mr Yadav and some other national executive members.
