LUCKNOW: In a challenge to

which is facing an existential crisis in its home state of

,

convenor

, who till recently had maintained that he would not be entering electoral politics, on Thursday announced the formation of his

.

The trigger for this decision, said those close to him, was the absence of two BSP MPs from Rajya Sabha on Wednesday when voting took place on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The organisation has decided to test waters through the Delhi election, slated to be held in the first quarter of 2020 and then contest the panchayat elections in UP later in the year.

In a statement issued on Thursday evening, Azad said: “When the Constitution was being murdered in Parliament, two BSP MPS left the fight to save the Constitution and ran away. By doing this, they have cheated Baba Saheb (Ambedkar), Kanshiram and the entire Bahujan Samaj. Earlier as well, through unconstitutional means and for purely economic considerations, Mayawati has helped BJP on reservation and Article 370. By doing this, she not only made Muslims, an inseparable part of the Bahujan movement, feel insecure but also weakened Bahujan politics.”

Announcing the formation of an alternative political outfit, Azad declared: “Ab daulat wala nahin, kaam karne wala neta banega (Now someone who works will become a leader, not a rich person).”