SWABI, Oct 26: The Awami National Party (ANP) leadership has planned to constitute 56 committees for as many union councils in Swabi district for conducting membership drive in an effort to woo maximum number of people to the party.

Party sources said that members of each committee at union council level would be selected keeping in view their previous political record.

Local ANP leaders speaking on condition of anonymity revealed that in the previous membership drive many bogus forms were filled when two rival groups sprung up in the party here in Swabi.

One group was led by former MNA Rehmanullah and the other by former district general secretary Jehanzeb Khan.

They said that this rivalry later led to some of key members quitting the ANP. When contacted, a key local leader admitted that thousands of bogus forms were filled in the earlier membership drive when Senator Azam Hoti, who was recently expelled from the ANP, dominated the party affairs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“We were sandwiched between the two groups and the party position here in the district suffered badly,” said a leader who contested the May 11 general election. “Nobody was ready to listen to our complaints, but the leadership realised the situation when party candidates faced crushing defeat in the election,” he said.

When contacted, Mohammad Arshad advocate, who was nominated chairman of the district membership committee, said that each committee would comprise minimum five and maximum nine members.

“We have not nominated the members yet, but consultations with the party leaders are underway,” he said.

Answering a question, he said that the membership drive was aimed at rejuvenating and strengthening the party at this critical stage.

In addition, the ANP leadership has planned to woo the annoyed leaders and workers of the party in the district.

However, the party leaders said that it was not an easy task and there would be many ifs and buts because they were brushed aside and ignored during the ANP-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said that if the ANP succeeded in persuading the annoyed group it would boost its position in the district.