Darwin independent politician Jeff Collins has signed up with Territory Alliance, bringing the new party's seats in the Northern Territory parliament to equal those of the Country Liberals Opposition.

Key points: Territory Alliance now has two seats in the NT parliament

Territory Alliance now has two seats in the NT parliament Independent MLA Jeff Collins has joined the new political party

Independent MLA Jeff Collins has joined the new political party Mr Collins was formerly with Labor but quit after being ousted from caucus

Territory Alliance has been promoting itself as an "ideology-free" alternative to the major parties and recently outpolled the Country Liberals in the Johnston by-election.

Mr Collins said he was confident Territory Alliance — led by former CLP Chief Minister and Member for Blain Terry Mills — would listen to his policy ideas, including his push for liberalisation of drug laws.

"I like the way that their language is all around inclusivity," Mr Collins said.

"So including people in the discussion, discussing ideas, as opposed to entrenching themselves in an ideology.

"I have certain views on decriminalisation of drugs, pill testing and those sorts of things — I feel that I can have that discussion openly with people who are willing to listen."

Mr Collins says his constituents in Darwin's electorate of Fong Lim encouraged him to join Territory Alliance. ( ABC News: Brendan Esposito )

Mr Collins, the Member for Fong Lim, was expelled from the Labor caucus in December 2018 and then quit the party to sit as an independent.

He said people in his electorate had encouraged him to make the shift to Territory Alliance, and this was reinforced while he door-knocked with Johnston by-election candidate Steven Klose.

"They started to raise that issue with me, they started to think that was a good option for the electorate," Mr Collins said.

"There's been an open invitation to me."

During the by-election campaign, Mr Mills said he would seek an equal distribution of Opposition resources if Territory Alliance secured two seats in the NT parliament.

Mr Collins said Territory Alliance's position on fracking and its support for a renewable energy industry, including solar and hydrogen, also attracted him to the party.

Territory Alliance maintains it will support a fracking industry in the NT, if it is viable without government subsidies and conducted strictly in accordance with all 135 recommendations from a scientific inquiry into the practice.

The party last week announced several new candidates for the upcoming NT election, scheduled for August 22.

Among them was hairdresser Gary Strachan, finance broker Andrew Harley and trade training manager Caleb Cardno.

Mr Collins was kicked out of the Labor caucus in 2018 and then quit the party. ( ABC News: Brendan Esposito )

Also on the list was David Ridley, who recently stepped down from his role as a pastor with the Glory City Church in Darwin.

The party chose not to mention Mr Ridley's prominent religious role in its candidate biographies, but he was questioned about it during the announcement last week.

"I am a person of faith, that's true," Mr Ridley said.

"But I feel like where the Territory's at right now is we're at a turning point, and we need people to step up, whether you're of faith, not of faith, or anywhere in between.

"Territory Alliance is about bringing people together, it's a diverse alliance, that isn't united by ideology but by a common passion to see solutions solved."

Mr Collins said it would be difficult for his new party to maintain its "ideology free" position, but he believed it was possible.

"I think they can, but I think it's difficult," he said.

"Arguments are firmly established in ideology — I think they can, I hope they can.

"That's why I've decided to join."

Mr Collins rejected any suggestion Territory Alliance was a religious party.

"I am a devout atheist," he said.