New Delhi: Months after it rebelled against JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar’s decision to go with the NDA in Bihar, the Sharad Yadav faction of the party on Monday announced that it would form a new party after the Gujarat Assembly elections.
The Election Commission last week rejected its claim over the arrow symbol, citing organisational strength of the Nitish Kumar faction.
The faction is fighting the Gujarat polls in alliance with the Congress and has been allotted 7 seats. Its lone MLA Chhotu Vasava in Gujarat, will fight the state polls under the banner of the new party, Bhartiya Tribal Party, whose symbol will be autorickshaw.
“We will hold a convention after the Gujarat polls and form a new party. Our candidates will contest seven seats under the banner of Bhartiya Tribal Party in alliance with the Congress,” general secretary of the faction Arun Shrivastava said.
Mr Shrivastava said while the Yadav faction will continue to contest the EC’s decision in courts, it will float a new party to carry on with its politics. The faction led by Mr Yadav had held its national executive meeting in the capital.
The announcement of the formation of the new party marks the formal separation between Mr Yadav and Mr Kumar, who had joined hands to oust Lalu Prasad-led RJD government in Bihar.
Mr Kumar had decided to snap ties with the Congress-RJD alliance in Bihar before the presidential polls in July. The JD(U) had been in alliance with the BJP till Mr Kumar decided to snap ties in 2013 and was supported by Mr Yadav.
It was Mr Kumar’s decision to tie up with the BJP in July this year that caused a split between the two as Mr Yadav opposed the move and announced his support to the Congress and the RJD.
A majority of elected party members and most office bearers had remained with Mr Kumar.
