Lucknow, Nov 30 (IANS): Independent legislator from Kunda Raguraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya on Friday launched his political party 'Jansatta' and vowed to fight for the rights of farmers, youths and the poor.

Addressing a large gathering of supporters at the Rama Bai Ambedkar ground here, Raja Bhaiyya said he has formed the party based on a survey done among his supporters who decided that the time had come to form a political outfit.

Celebrating his 25th year as legislator, Raja Bhaiyya, who has been a Minister in successive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) governments in the state, hit out at the SC/ST Atrocities Act.

He said it was being sued as a weapon against the upper castes. Clearly throwing his weight behind the upper castes, he said that his party would fight for equal rights for all, irrespective of caste and creed.

He clarified that he and his party were not against Dalits and the oppressed. "We are not anti anybody. All we want is that there should be same rules and regulations for all," he said to cheering by his supporters.

He demanded that families of Army or paramilitary personnel who die in action should get a compensation of not less than Rs 1 crore.

The Kunda MLA is feared in his constituency for very many reasons but his writ runs large in Pratapgarh and nearby areas.

Being a Thakur leader, he is much sought after by all parties barring the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party.