ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The Pakistan People’s Party leadership is in a fix over a planned expansion of the cabinet due to strong lobbying within the party and its failure to negotiate a deal with coalition partners, sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

The sources said the PPP leadership had been facing great difficulties in finalising the names and portfolios of the ministers to be inducted into the federal cabinet as Jamait Ulema-i-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement had sought some ministries which the party wanted to retain.Soon after the Pakistan Muslim League (N) quit the ruling coalition in August after differences over the judicial crisis, the PPP had announced that the portfolios vacated by PML-N would soon be redistributed among new members.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has several times stated that the cabinet would soon be expanded.

However, despite the passage of almost two months, the PPP leadership has failed to finalise the cabinet expansion plan due to inflexible attitude of the parties in the ruling coalition.

A PPP MNA from Sindh told Dawn that the main hurdle in finalisation of the cabinet was the MQM as it had sought five important ministries in return of its support to the government.

He claimed the MQM wanted portfolios of communications, housing and works, ports and shipping, petroleum and health.

An MQM leader said so far his party had not received any formal invitation from the government to join the cabinet.

Moreover, the sources said, the PPP leadership was also under tremendous pressure from within the party due to a long list of the aspirants for office.