DHAKA: Supporters of China’s disgraced senior politician Bo Xilai, who has been jailed for corruption, have set up a political party, two separate sources said, in a direct challenge to the ruling Communist Party’s de facto ban on new political groups.

The Zhi Xian Party, literally ‘the constitution is the supreme authority’ party, was formed on November 6, three days before the opening on Saturday of a key conclave of top Communist Party leaders to discuss much-needed economic reforms, the sources said.

It named Bo as ‘chairman for life’, Wang Zheng, one of the party’s founders and an associate professor of international trade at the Beijing Institute of Economics and Management, told media by telephone, reports The Straits Times.

‘This is not illegal under Chinese law. It is legal and reasonable,’ Wang said.

A second source, who asked not to be identified but who has direct knowledge of the party`s founding, confirmed the news. Calls to the Communist Party’s propaganda department seeking comment went unanswered.

BDST: 1945 HRS, NOV 09, 2013
RoR/SRS