Punjab unit of Swaraj Abhiyan splits to form political party

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29

In a split in the Swaraj Abhiyan launched by Yogendra Yadav, the Punjab unit of the group led by Prof Manjit Singh and supported by two AAP rebel MPs Dr Dharamvir Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa on Sunday announced the formation of a regional political outfit, the Swaraj Party. However, the central leadership of the Abhiyan distanced itself from the announcement.

The announcement was made at a state-level convention held at Sohan Singh Bhakna Bhawan in Sector 29 of Chandigarh. Dr Gandhi from Patiala and Khalsa from Fatehgarh Sahib expressed solidarity with the new outfit.

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The Abhiyan was launched by Yodengra Yadav and lawyer Prashant Bhushan after they were expelled by the Aam Aadmi Party following differences with AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. 

In a separate press release, Anupam, national spokesperson of the Swaraj Abhiyan, said the formation of the Swaraj Party in Punjab was not sponsored by the Swaraj Abhiyan. 

“Though many colleagues associated with this initiative are from the Swaraj Abhiyan’s Punjab unit, the decision to form a political party has not been taken in accordance with the due process laid down by the Abhiyan,” Anupam said.

He said that right from its beginning the Abhiyan had declared that it was committed to building alternative politics. “We decided not to form a party and have laid down some parameters of transparency, accountability and inner party democracy to prove ourselves on these criteria before a decision of party formation could be taken, he said. “

Anupam said that since the decision by the Punjab colleagues did not follow this process, “we are unable to own or endorse it”. However, Punjab desperately needs alternative politics to rid itself from the Akali-BJP misrule. The Congress and AAP had proven incapable of being true alternatives for the state. 

“We wish the proposed Swaraj Party well and would like to have fraternal relationship with it and any such formation which can provide a genuine political alternative to Punjab,” he said.

Reacting to the claim of Prof Manjit Singh said that the national leadership of the Swaraj Abhiyan was reluctant to form a political party that Punjab needed desperately. “With elections after six months, it is the right time to form a political party. We were left with no option but to take a call,” he said.

Earlier, a group led by Prof Manjit Singh of the Swaraj Lehar gathered in Chandigarh from all over the state at Bhakna Bhawan in Chandigarh, where besides passing a number of resolutions a political outfit, namely the Swaraj Party, was launched. 

Prof Singh said the party, with the cooperation of people of Punjab, was committed to fighting for free education, free health and medical services, a debt-free rural Punjab, expansion of MGNREGA and its extension to urban Punjab, and universal employment.

He said the party would fight for the implementation of riparian principles on the distribution of the river waters of Punjab.

A state working committee of 41 members had been constituted to expand the base of the party at the block and village levels. 

Earlier the Swaraj Lehar had enrolled members all over the state. In half of the districts, elected district committees have been constituted. The organising of committees in the remaining 11 districts would be completed within the next two weeks, the party said.