Angus MacNeil has joined Alba and may stand as a candidate for the party at the next Holyrood election.
The former MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar was suspended and then expelled from the SNP last year.
In the last few years of his SNP membership, he had become critical of the party's independence strategy and advocated an alternative "Plan B" approach which did not rely on seeking agreement from the UK government for an independence referendum.
He has maintained a Holyrood election should be used by the pro-independence parties to move forward on the issue.
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Mr MacNeil, who was first elected as an SNP MP in 2005, stood as an independent candidate in July's general election but was defeated by Labour's Torcuil Crichton, a former political journalist.
He told The Herald he had become a member of the party led by the late Alex Salmond as he believed it was the best way of advancing Scottish independence.
"There are a lot of good people in the SNP, but they can't achieve anything on independence when the clueless and disinterested hierarchy has thwarted debate for years and I certainly know about that.
"Even now independence is not in the motions at their upcoming National Council meeting," he said.
"It is six years since the SNP hierarchy proclaimed it didn't need a Plan B and then when the Plan A ran out they hadn't a clue what to do."
Asked if he would stand as a candidate for Alba in 2026, he said: "That is up to the membership, but I might put myself forward if there were indications that people wanted me to do that.
"If it helps to kick start independence I would do."
Mr MacNeil was a close political ally of Mr Salmond's and attended his memorial service in Edinburgh on Saturday and his funeral service in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, in October.
He said Mr Salmond would be pleased that he has joined Alba.
The former First Minister led Alba the party when it was launched in February 2021 until his sudden death in North Macedonia on October 7 this year.
Acting Alba leader Kenny MacAskill told The Herald he was delighted Mr MacNeil had become his party's latest recruit.
"We are very pleased that Angus is joining us. He was a long-serving comrade in the SNP and him coming across after Alex's funeral will strengthen the movement," said Mr MacAskill, a former Scottish Government justice secretary.
The SNP was approached for comment.
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