LAHORE, Sept 3: The four mainstream opposition parties – PPP, PTI, PML-Q and Jamaat-i-Islami – have gathered on ‘one platform’ against the PML-N in the forthcoming local body elections in Punjab.

The opposition parties have also announced launching a political and legal struggle against the Local Government Bill 2013 which they called was not aimed at devolution of power but to strengthen the 'one-man show’ in the province.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of leaders of these parties at the residence of PPP’s central Punjab president Mian Manzoor Wattoo here on Tuesday.

It was the first formal interaction of Imran Khan’s PTI with PPP after May 11 elections in Punjab. After the general elections, the PTI had kept itself at a distance from the PPP, especially in the Punjab Assembly. Before the presentation of local government bill in the assembly, both the PTI and PML-Q had avoided joining hands with the PPP.

PTI’s Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri and Ejaz Chaudtry, JI’s Amirul Azeem and PPP’s Tanvir Ashraf Kaira and Shaukat Basra were present in Tuesday’s meeting. It also took PML-Q’s Zaheeruddin into confidence on the decisions taken in the meeting.

Defending joining hands with the PPP, Ejaz Chaudhry said the PTI believed that “divided opposition” was not in the interest of the people who were suffering at the hands of the PML-N government. “Therefore, we have decided to launch a joint struggle against the PML-N’s anti-democratic move (local body bill) and anti-people decisions,” he told Dawn after the meeting.

He said it had been decided in the meeting that the four parties would separately challenge the bill in the court as it would make their case strong. Replying to a question about a ‘four-party alliance’ in the forthcoming local body polls, Mr Chaudhry said: “The opposition parties will cooperate with each other in the local body polls and go for seat-adjustment,” he said.

Shaukat Basra told this reporter that the PML-N’s anti-people policies were responsible for the gathering of opposition parties on one platform. “The PML-N has conspired against democracy by voting for non-party basis local body polls. It shows the dictatorial mindset of the PML-N leadership.” Mr Basra said opposition parties would devise a solid strategy to give tough time to the PML-N. Next meeting of the opposition parties would be held at the residence of Mr Kasuri and two more parties would be invited there.

After the meeting, Wattoo told newsmen that the opposition parties would jointly contest the local body elections. He said it would challenge the controversial bill in the court and it hoped to get relief.