Much to the amusement of the locals, Naresh Singh Bhadauriya, has this time launched 'Khas Aadmi Party' (KHAP) with the general elections around the corner.

Lakhimpur Kheri: When all the political parties are out to project themselves as honest and upright, there is one outfit which is looking for the corrupt and fraudsters to join it as members. Much to the amusement of the locals, Naresh Singh Bhadauriya, has this time launched 'Khas Aadmi Party' (KHAP) with the general elections around the corner.

Earlier, as the leader of the 'Pol Khol Party', Bhadauriya (52) has fought Assembly and Lok Sabha elections against Rajnath Singh (Haidergarh), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Lucknow), Vinay Katiyar (Kheri) and Navjot Singh Sidhu (Amritsar).

Enthused by the support for his outfit in earlier polls, Bhadauriya now intends to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls from Amethi against Kumar Viswas of AAP and AICC Vice- President Rahul Gandhi.

But unlike before, when he used to rely on pets and other props to draw the public's attention, it is his banner this time which has become a talking point here. Accompanied by the commander-in-chief of the newly formed KHAP, Vipin Gupta, Bhadauriya took out a march in the city yesterday, holding a large banner outlining the aims and objectives of his party.

What amused the onlookers was the message the banner carried. It said, "Only the corrupt, schemers, fraudsters, etc. are eligible for membership."

"The party is keen to have electoral tie-ups with any political outfit other than Aam Aadmi Party. The ideals and principles of KHAP match those of others, except AAP," the banner proclaims.

Terming AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal as the party's "arch rival", KHAP said it feared only former President APJ Abdul Kalam and noted social-reformer Anna Hazare. Talking to PTI, Bhadauriya, a lawyer by profession, said that through KHAP, as with his Pol Khol Party, the purpose is to bring corruption to the center-stage during elections.

"Election results are immaterial for me as I am not in the fray to win, but to attract the electorate to the burning issues. We are not taken seriously, but the thousands of votes mustered by us in the past substantiate our token acceptance by the public," averred Bhaudariya, who disclosed that he, in fact, admires Kejriwal.

"With heavy-weight opponents in the fray, our voice gets amplified," he said, justifying the stand of taking on political bigwigs.

PTI