Lucknow, January 05: Ending speculation about his return to BJP, its former leader Kalyan Singh floated a new political outfit – Jan Kranti Party – on the occasion of his 77th birthday.
“Respecting the sentiments of my supporters, who suggested that instead of joining any other party we should have our own organisation, I today announce to float the new party,” Singh told reporters in Lucknow.
He made the announcement nearly two months after parting ways with SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“Nai party ka apna jhanda hoga, agenda hoga aur anushashan ka danda hoga (The new party will have its own flag, own agenda and strict discipline),” he said.
This is the second time Kalyan has floated a political party within a span of a decade.
Singh said since the workers advised him that the party’s command should be handed over to new generation, his son and former state minister Rajveer Singh will be its national president.
“Our aim is to have a strong presence by 2012 assembly elections,” he said.
Singh said he along with Rajveer will go to Ayodhya on Wednesday morning and pray to “Ramlala”.
Once projected as the hero of Ram Temple movement and counted among top rung leaders of the BJP, Singh had parted ways with the party in 1999 alleging that he was being sidelined by the high command.
—Agencies