Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav form 'Swaraj India' party

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav on Sunday announced the formation of a new political party called Swaraj India.

In April last year, the AAP expelled senior leaders Bhushan and Yadav for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities. The decision to sack them from the party was taken by the AAP?s National Disciplinary Committee (NDC).
The duo co-founded then Swaraj Abhiyan, a socio-political body, to 'take forward the anti-corruption movement.'

Earlier, on Jul 31, addressing the concluding session of a two-day Abhiyan national convention here, Yadav had announced the launching of the new political party by October 2 to provide an "alternative political vehicle". Later, a committee was formed to look into the details of the new political party.

Yadav had said, "We were never secretive about going political. A decision to launch a political party was taken with nearly 93 per cent of the delegates at the convention overwhelmingly supporting it. Yadav, however, had clarified that Swaraj Abhiyan will continue to exist even after the new political party is launched and the two will function independently.

It had parried questions on whether the new party will contest the Assembly elections in five states, including Punjab, which are going to polls next year. Yadav and Bhushan were sacked from Aam Aadmi Party in April last year for "anti-party" activities. They had hit out at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal questioning his "supremo style of working" and "lack of transparency" in the party.