AAP rebels Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan launch ‘Swaraj Abhiyan’

New Delhi: Replicating the India Against Corruption model, from which the Aam Aadmi Party was born, rebels Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan on Tuesday launched a new initiative “Swaraj Abhiyan” to boost alternative politics across India.

In what could eventually lead to a new party being floated, they also set up a 49-member committee to take it to all districts across the country to assess the viability of a new party after six months.

The AAP leadership hinted a crackdown on the dissident leaders, and sources indicated they may face stern action on Wednesday.

The dissident leaders stressed the need to launch a new “movement for alternative politics” in the country, while not deciding to quit the AAP voluntarily.

The AAP leadership, on the other hand, hinted a crackdown on the dissident leaders and sources said that they could face a stern action on Wednesday.

Though appearing aggressive, the camp led by Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav admitted that the time was “not ripe” to launch a political outfit immediately.

“It is a new beginning. If today we announce of forming a new political party, then the dangers will be the same which AAP is facing. The emotion to challenge the AAP in a court or the Election Commission is right, but will lead to ‘long and messy fight’,” Mr Bhushan said addressing a gathering of volunteers and supporters at Swaraj Samwad meet.

Asserting that the new movement will be a struggle for ‘Lok’ (people) in the Loktantra (democracy), Mr Yadav said that that it has been launched to preserve a common man’s hope in the alternative politics.

“We face immense challenges such as finding 5,000 political saints from across the country, who will have to be trained. The quest for such honest people from every district in the country is challenging,” Mr Yadav said maintaining that they were still a part of the AAP, as the party does not belong to a “single person”.