NEW DELHI: The former Delhi Chief Minister, Madan Lal Khurana, on Saturday resigned from Uma Bharti's Bharatiya Jan Shakti party and declared that he would soon float his own party to work for the development of Delhi and strive to get it the status of a full State.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Khurana said he was resigning as acting president of the party he joined just two months ago because Ms. Bharti had not consulted him on the issue of withdrawal of Bharatiya Jan Shakti candidates from Uttar Pradesh elections.

He criticised the decision, stating that if at all, it should have been taken before the election process began.

Ms. Bharati had withdrawn her candidates after Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal asked her to do so in the interest of Hindus and to bolster Kalyan Singh's chances of becoming Chief Minister.

Mr. Khurana said, "I made a mistake by joining the BJS as its acting president."

He said he was no "small fry" and his position was equivalent to that of the president.

The veteran Delhi politician had fought the recent Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections under the banner of the BJS and on the symbol of its ally Om Prakash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal. The BJS won four seats in the 272-ward House.

Declaring that he had spent 47 of his 62 years in public life, in the service of Delhi, Mr. Khurana said he would continue to work for the city till his last breath.

Third front

He would form a third front ahead of the Assembly elections in 2008 and work towards attaining full Statehood for Delhi.

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