PTI
 
Maharajganj (UP), Apr 18: Former Janata Dal (United) chief George Fernandes would initiate steps to form a new party after receiving a reply from the Election Commission on his complaint regarding "malpractices" in the election to post of party president held recently, a JD-U leader said today.

"A complaint has been made to the Election Commission about the malpractices in the April 11 election of the new president and the process of forming a new political party would start only after receiving the EC's reply," T P Misra, JD-U Working Committee Member, told PTI here.

He said the election officer of the party, Anil Hegde had recommended postponement of the election process on April 11 after failing to get the membership lists from several states but "Sharad Yadav group first got Ram Sanjivan Singh elected president fraudulently and then removed the election officer. This prompted Fernandes and his supporters to boycott the election process," he said.

On Bihar, Misra said the former Union minister had achieved his mission of ousting (RJD supremo) Laloo Prasad from power.

Claiming that Fernandes would now be concentrating on Uttar Pradesh, Misra said he has resolved to free the state of "rampant casteism".

Fernandes has become more active in Uttar Pradesh which he visited three times during the past month, he said adding that the state would witness a "new polarisation" of political parties before the next assembly elections.