The Sharad Yadav-led Janata Dal-United faction, whose claim over the party's poll symbol was rejected by the Election Commission, today announced that it will forma new party after the Gujarat polls which it is fighting in alliance with the Congress.

The faction's general secretary Arun Shrivastava said its lone MLA, Chhotu Vasava from Gujarat, will fight the state polls under the banner of the new party, Bhartiya Tribal Party, whose symbol will be auto rickshaw.

Vasava was the Yadav-led group's acting president but floated a new party after the EC recognised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led faction as the real JD-U and accepted its claim over the poll symbol of arrow.

"We will hold a convention after the Gujarat polls and form a new party. Our candidates will contest seven seats under the banner of Bhartiya Tribal Party in alliance with the Congress," Shrivastava said after his faction's national executive meeting in New Delhi where Yadav was present.

The announcement marks the formal separation between Yadav and Kumar, who had joined hands to oust Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal government in Bihar.  -- PTI