MARDAN: The PPP district councilors have announced they will join hands with ANP and JUI-F councilors to form local government.

The announcement was made during a news conference at the house of PPP provincial president and Senator Haji Khanzada Khan in Sheikh Maltoon Town here.

PPP leader Rahim Dad Khan, ANP provincial president Ameer Haider Hoti and JUI-F district chief Maulana Qasim were noted among those in attendance.

Soon after the announcement of local body elections, the PPP, ANP and JUI-F had formed a coalition to form district and tehsil governments in Mardan.

However, four of the eight PPP district councilors announced they would support PTI in the formation of local governments.

The disgruntled group was led by PPP provincial president Haji Khanzada Khan, while the other group was led by former senior provincial minister Rahim Dad Khan.

Haji Khanzada told reporters on Thursday that he and members of his group met PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who decided that the party would remain part of alliance with ANP and JUI-F in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the formation of local governments.

“We are announcing to rejoin the tripartite alliance to form governments in Mardan,” he said.

In the 112-strong Mardan district council, the PPP-ANP-JUI-F alliance has 56 members and PTI-JI grouping 50.

As for the remaining members, including three of PML-N and three independents, there are reports that they have signed a secret agreement with PTI-JI alliance and that the agreement will be disclosed during their oath-taking ceremony.

If these members support PTI and JI, then the latter’s strength in the house will come to 56.

In this way, both the alliances have each number of members creating an interesting situation.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

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