AAP or BJP? HLP a divided house

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 23

The vertical split within the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) on the party’s merger with the BJP or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) prevented a final decision today as president Maheshwar Singh has been authorised to hold talks with both parties and convey the sentiments of party workers.

The Core Group, all district committee presidents and state executive of the HLP held a meeting in Kullu to take a final call on the party’s merger with the BJP or the AAP.

No final decision could be taken at the meeting with equal number of voices advocating joining the BJP or AAP. The meeting was attended by Maheshwar, former ministers – Shyama Sharma and Mahender Nath Sofat and all district presidents.

Many leaders, including Sofat, former minister and MLA from Solan, advocated joining hands with AAP for the common objectives of fighting corruption and providing a political alternative. Many senior leaders, including Kangra district president Mulk Raj termed the merger with the BJP “politics of convenience” and said the merger with AAP would be more appropriate.

Many persons expressed reservations that barring Maheshwar, a majority of other leaders would neither be welcomed nor valued within the BJP so joining AAP was a more sensible option. With unanimity eluding the senior leadership of the party, it was decided that Maheshwar Singh, the lone MLA of the HLP, would hold talks with senior leaders of both BJP and AAP before a final decision was taken.

“I have always advocated and adhered to the policy of internal freedom in any party and I assure everyone that this time too I will sincerely convey the HLP leaders sentiments to the BJP and AAP and come back to you all for the final decision,” said Maheshwar, addressing the workers.

It was just before the Assembly elections in December 2012 that AAP had been floated by dissident BJP leaders with the objective of fighting the corrupt elements within the BJP and providing a third alternative to the electorate.

Maheshwar had been in touch with senior BJP leaders and there was speculation that he would soon return to the BJP but a sizeable section of the HLP leadership was more inclined towards AAP.

“The merger with the BJP will amount to joining hands with the corrupt elements we had vowed to fight and our entire struggle will go waste. On the other hand, the merger with the AAP makes a lot of sense as their objective of fighting corruption and providing a political alternative to the Congress and BJP is the same as ours,” said many leaders.

Some leaders said Maheshwar was keen on returning to the BJP as he felt that this was in his own political interest even though it was detrimental for majority HLP leaders.