The executive committee of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) which met on Tuesday decided to make conditional return of expelled leaders possible ahead of lok Sabha polls in order to ensure larger support base for the party.
The move of HPCC comes just a week after BJP had taken back its rebels into its fold. State executive of HPCC pondered over the fate of expelled leaders and decided that conditional return of leaders who were expelled or issued notices for anti- party activity could be brought into the party fold. However, some senior leaders objected that leaders who had faced expulsion for more than two times should not be taken back into the party fold. "Executive committee members took up the issue of party leaders who have been issued notice or have been expelled from the party for anti-party activities," said state party president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. He said that members were of the view that these party leaders can be brought back into the party's fold on merit basis and after consultation with the concerned PCC members, MlAs and presidents of district and block committees. After the assembly polls in 2012, Congress had issued notices to over 80 leaders for anti party activities. Party had then expelled as many as 25 leaders.