A former Liberals candidate who was set to be dumped from the party ahead of his resignation, has made a quick turnaround to contest a different seat, with a different party.
Vijay Dubey has accused his former party of failing to support his campaign for the seat of Kurrajong, and said funding and resources were focused on incumbent candidates.
Mr Dubey became the fifth person to join the Belco Party's ranks on Thursday, to contest the seat of Ginninderra in the October election.
Top of his election agenda was to reinstate cracker night allowing public fireworks one weekend a year.
The announcement came one month after Mr Dubey resigned from the Canberra Liberals as a candidate for the inner south seat of Kurrajong, after he was told he would otherwise be dis-endorsed.
Last month, Liberal sources told The Canberra Times officials were frustrated after Mr Dubey repeatedly flouted internal campaigning processes, including printing and distributing material without head office approval.
On Thursday, Mr Dubey denied those claims.
He said he was on "the bottom of the food chain" within the party ranks and calls for funding and resources fell on deaf ears.
"I wasn't supported there," he said.
"They were mainly favouring the incumbent candidates, focusing on them all the resources, all the time."
"It came to [resignation] because they were not listening to concerns I was taking from [the] community to the party," he said.
Party officials denied Mr Dubey had been starved of campaign funds when his supporters made the claim after his resignation.
The Canberra Liberals have been contacted for comment.
"I had some expectations and they were not met so I decided to move on with my life," Mr Dubey said.
"Right or wrong, the election result will tell you the truth."
The 2020 election will be Mr Dubey's second shot at the Belconnen seat of Ginninderra, which he contended as an independent in the 2016 election, and won just 0.8 per cent of the vote.
Mr Dubey said he believed in the Belco Party policies which included lowering car registration costs, and extending free WiFi zones throughout the city.
The return of cracker night would also be on the agenda if successful, Mr Dubey said.
The long-held Canberra tradition was outlawed more than a decade ago and the use or sale of fireworks in the ACT is prohibited.
The Belco Party plan would reinstate public use of fireworks on the Queen's Birthday long weekend.
"The sale would be strictly regulated and only be allowed two-weeks prior and only from industrial areas," Mr Dubey said.
He said there would first be community consultation and it would start on a trial basis in private premises and designated public places.
"Restrictions could then put in place to address potential issues," he said.
Former Liberal and Belco Party convener Bill Stefaniak wasn't concerned about Mr Dubey's turbulent exit from his prior party.
He suggested Mr Dubey had "fallen foul of factional play".
"I think he has indicated though he has certain principles which align with ours," he said.
"He brings another dimension to our party. He is a former teacher and I think has some experiences others haven't, and I think now we have a full team with varied interests."
