Makwana floats National Bahujan Party

New Delhi, Nov 15 (UNI) Sacked Congress leader Yogendra Makwana today announced the formation of a new party-- National Bahujan Congress (NBC)-- after accusing the Congress of doing precious little for the SCs, STs and minorities..

''We are open to alliance with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party,'' Mr Makwana said at a press conference where he was anointed National Chairman of the NBC by the party leaders.

The NBC is contesting the coming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

Mr Makwana, a senior leader who joined the Congress in 1969, was removed as chairman of the AICC Scheduled Castes Department two days ago after he alleged that party tickets were being distributed in exchange for money.

Today, Mr Makwana claimed that he had resigned from the primary membership of the Congress and also from all forums of the Party.

Reiterating his charge, Mr Makwana said the Congress was being run by a coterie of sycophants and self-seekers.

''An inexperienced Mrs Sonia Gandhi and innocent Rahul Gandhi are over-powered and surrounded by a group of flattering foes whose only agenda is self-promotion,'' he said but refused to name the coterie.

The deserving people from the minorities, SCs, STs and OBCs had been denied representation in the coming Assembly elections, he said and cited as example the names of chairmens of the party's SC Department in Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.

He alleged that the Congress Government had not kept more than 0.5 per cent of the plan allocation for the SCs all these years.

The General Budget, he said, was also hopeless as it had only 3.16 per cent of the total allocation for the SCs and STs.

He said a Maharashtra-based party by the similar name had merged with his NBC.

He said the constitution and policies of the NBC along with its manifesto and symbol would be announced in due course.

He declined to comment on whether Mrs Margaret Alva, who was also relieved of key party post on similar charge, would join his party.

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