Imphal: Irom Sharmila, who is also known as Manipur's 'Iron Lady', on Tuesday launched a new political party 'the Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance' (PRAJA) to contest assembly elections in Manipur due to be held early next year.
Her party, the 44-year-old said, would be based on the principles of justice, understanding, love and peace.
Sharmila will reportedly contest polls from two assembly seats - Thoubal and Khurai.
The rights activist expressed hopes that she would field at least 20 candidates for Manipur's 60 seats.
Interestingly, Thoubal is the assembly constituency of Okram Ibobi Singh of the Congress, who has been the state's chief minister since 2002.
Although Sharmila had ended a 16-year-long fast in protest against alleged army atrocities in Manipur two months ago, she had vowed to continue her crusade politically.
She also intends to take on Chief Minister Singh.
She has since visited capital Delhi and sought advice on how to defeat major political parties from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party swept the Delhi elections last year, decimating both the BJP and the Congress.
She had also expressed her desire to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "good advice."
Sharmila had launched her hunger strike in 2000 after 10 people were killed in firing by security forces. She fasted for the next 16 years demanding the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA that gives the army sweeping emergency powers to search, enter property and shoot at sight.
