HLP leaders revolt over merger move

SHIMLA: In Himachal Pradesh, proposed merger of Himachal Lokhit Party, Mahender Nath Sofat, himachal election, himachal election result, himachal election results (HLP) into BJP on August 14 has received a severe jolt with senior HLP leaders revolting against the party president Maheshwar Singh claiming that the decision of party merger was made by him. Instead of party merger, only Maheshwar Singh would join BJP on August 14, they added.

BJP dissidents had floated by HLP right before the 2012 assembly elections. Former BJP president and MP Maheshwar Singh was made its president. The party had made corruption of Congress and BJP its main agenda.

Later, senior leaders like Khushi Ram Balnatah left the party to return into the folds of BJP. As HLP candidate Maheshwar Singh had won the assembly election from Kullu assembly seat but now he had decided to merge the party into BJP before 2017 assembly elections.

Sources said that before taking the decision to return into BJP, Maheshwar Singh had met senior leaders like Shanta Kumar, Prem Kumar Dhumal and Union minister J P Nadda but one faction within BJP was opposed to his entry. During the recent extended core committee meeting of BJP at Dalhousie a faction of BJP opposed the entry of Maheshwar Singh after which final decision was left on BJP parliamentary board which has approved his entry, sources added.

It was expected that Maheshwar Singh would return to BJP along with other senior HLP leaders including Mahender Nath Sofat, Dharam Chand Guleria and Subhash Sharma but on Tuesday these leaders surprised everyone by revolting against Maheshwar Singh. In a statement issued, Sofat, Guleria and Sharma said that decision of merging HLP was taken by Maheshwar Singh at personal level. He said as there is no consensus at party level so only Maheshwar Singh would be going in BJP. Maheshwar Singh is expected to join BJP on August 14.


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