JD(U) in Gujarat announces new party after polls

Unnerved by the Election Commission’s rejection of its party symbol, the Sharad Yadav-led Janata Dal - United (JDU) faction held its national executive meet on Monday and announced that it will form a new party after the Gujarat elections.

The faction is fighting the elections in alliance with the Congress. Lifting the suspense on the party’s symbol, general secretary Arun Shrivastava said its unit in the state under Chhotu Vasava will fight the polls under the banner of Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) on the symbol of the auto rickshaw.

“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,” Shrivastava said after the national executive meeting that was attended by Yadav.

Tribal heavyweight Vasava, who wields lot of influence in Bharuch and around, had floated BTP after the EC recognised Nitish Kumar-led faction as the real JD(U) and gave it rights over the poll symbol of arrow.