JOIN USSwaraj Abhiyan, a breakaway organisation of the AAP, launched an all-India political party, Swaraj India, on Sunday.
The announcement was made by ousted Aam Aadmi Party leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan at a convention attended by around 400 delegates from across the country.
The Swaraj Abhiyan group had earlier in July announced its decision of forming a political party, to provide an alternative and with an aim to bring transparency and accountability in electoral politics.
While Yogendra Yadav was elected as the first national president of Swaraj India, Ajit Jha and Anand Kumar were elected national general secretary and adviser to the party, respectively.
The first signature on the list of founder members of the party was that of noted lawyer and ex-law minister Shanti Bhushan. Speaking at the convention, he expressed hope that the new political party would take on the “divisive and corrupt” political parties to bring “real swaraj” in the country.
The party has decided to come under the RTI Act and has announced a public information officer to that effect. It also said that the freedom of expression within the party at all levels and dissent will be accorded space.
“At a time when political parties are afflicted by the malaise of personality cult and centralisation of power, Swaraj India has decided that the party shall be governed by collective leadership through an organisational model of ‘Presidium’ as the highest decision-making body,” it said in a statement.
Other points laid out at the convention promised transparent and innovative candidate selection process based on participatory democracy. The party said there will be no whip on legislators but horse trading will be prevented.
It was also announced that Swaraj Abhiyan shall remain a non-electoral campaign organisation and continue working on public issues. Social activist Prashant Bhushan was unanimously elected the new national president of the organisation.
Bhushan said that Swaraj Abhiyan will continue to run campaigns to ensure that governments and public institutions work according to the wishes of the people and take their decisions in public interest in the true spirit of Swaraj.