ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP), which emerged bruised from its month-long efforts to lead the new civilian government, was still hopeful on Thursday to get the slot of opposition leader in the National Assembly.

The Pakistan Muslim League(N), which had been left with very little role in government formation because of its diminished size in the house and a strong anti-Musharraf stance, holds the key in the choice of the opposition leader.

“We can make the leader of opposition,” PML(N) MNA Khawaja Asif said with a laughter. However, he added, his party had not yet taken a formal decision in this regard.

A PML(N) source said most of the party members were inclined to lend support to PPP president Makhdoom Amin Fahim for the leader of opposition.

PPP MNA Syed Khursheed Shah said he was very confident his party would get the position of the leader of opposition with the support of its partners in the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.

The PPP, which emerged as the second largest party in the October elections with 81 seats, is still the single largest opposition group even after the defection of 10 members who voted for PML(Q) candidates in Thursday’s election for the prime minister and in Tuesday’s elections of speaker and deputy speaker.