Now, a Khaas Aadmi Party with dustbin as symbol

Mumbai, April 1: Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party may now have a competitor. A Khaas Aadmi Party was on Tuesday floated in Mumbai, and has asked the Election Commission to allot 'dustbin' as its symbol.

However, party founder Mirza Dus Hazary assured he was not competing with the AAP in any manner.

"We shall take up the cause of all the poor, downtrodden, weakest sections of people, who are relegated to social dustbins. They will form our core strength and their problems shall be our prime focus. For us, each 'aam aadmi' (common man) will be a 'khaas aadmi' (important man) in the country," Hazary told IANS.

Hazary was once a highly sought after man in Bollywood as he used to stitch costumes for actors Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani.

Though not willing to commit anything at this stage, Hazary said the KAP plans to enter the electoral fray initially with the Maharashtra assembly elections later this year, and then maybe in other states.

"At present, we have around half a million active members across Mumbai, in all the economically weaker areas in the city, comprising Muslims, Dalits, backward classes, labourers, and other such people who eke out an honest living," he said.

Hailing from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, he migrated to Mumbai over five decades ago and became a tailor-cum-dress designer at an outlet in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Colaba.

His brush with politics was in the form of an active supporter of former union minister George Fernandes and addressing rallies with Ram Jethmalani ahead of various elections, but felt disillusioned after a while.

IANS