Rebels float new party in Delhi

Jagdish Mamgain, who quit BJP after being denied party ticket in municipal polls and is the brain behind the new outfit, was elected the president of Progressive Party.

"Delhi is mini-India. But both the BJP and Congress have failed Delhi. Our main aim is to transform Delhi into a city of international standards," Mamgain said at the launch of the party.

He said that the party's main focus was overall progress and development of the capital and accused both the national parties of playing casteist politics.

Maintaining that it was important to change the mindset of people, he said his party was here to serve people and would one day form its government in Delhi. He alleged that the Delhi government was directionless on the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies.

Dhiraj Jha, who proposed Mamgain's candidature for party secretary, said that the two national parties, BJP and Congress, more or less think on the same lines.

"Both the parties pass the buck and blame each other. But Progressive Party would not do so as it is here for the development of Delhi and its people," he said.