The Haryana Vikas Party headed by former Union minister Bansi Lal merged with the Congress on Thursday.

HVP secretary general Surender Singh and Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi announced this at a joint press conference at the All India Congress Committee headquarters hours after Singh met Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The development is significant as it would brighten the prospects of the Congress, which won nine out of ten seats in the Lok Sabha election.

The polls saw the rout of the ruling Indian National Lok Dal headed by Om Prakash Chautala and the Bharatiya Janata Party could only get one seat.