BJP-HLP merger to have zero impact in Himachal: CM Virbhadra

Himachal Pradesh Chief minister Virbhadra Singh today sought to play down reports about merger of Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) with BJP saying even if the union takes place, it will have zero impact on Congress.
In an informal chat with mediapersons at Talara in Kullu district, he said Congress was the largest single party in the state with strong base among masses and it is insulated from mergers and splits in other parties.
The HLP led by Maheshwar Singh, MLA and former Himachal BJP president, was formed by BJP dissidents in the run up to the Assembly polls in 2007 and several senior leaders joined the party which resulted in splitting the votes of BJP.

However, most of HLP leaders rejoined BJP on the eve of 2014 Lok sabha polls and only few leaders were left behind.
With assembly elections slated in November 2017, BJP is keen to take back the rebels and demand for taking back Maheshwar Singh, a strong leader of Kullu district, into the party was also made during the recent training camp of BJP workers.
Singh had recently said the decision of merger would be taken after eliciting the opinion of the leaders and workers of the party.