Expelled Bahujan Samaj Party leader and its Madhya Pradesh unit chief Phool Singh Baraiyya on Thursday formed the Samata Samaj Party vowing to work for dalits and to take on both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the December 1 assembly polls.
Accompanied by his supporters, including several expelled BSP functionaries, Baraiyya told reporters that he would be the national president of Samata Samaj Party while his trusted lieutenant Sant Kumar, who was also expelled from the BSP yesterday, would be its vice-president.
Accusing BSP leadership of joining hands with the Congress, he said, "We are fighting for the cause of poor and downtrodden and all our efforts will go futile if we align either with Congress or BJP."
Refuting allegation that he had 'sold out' to the BJP, Baraiyya said, "I was removed from BSP along with my followers as the party thought we will create obstacles in the way of a possible alliance with Congress."
He said the new party would field candidates for all the 230 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh after completion of formalities with the Election Commission for its registration and will maintain its independent identity.