SWABI, Feb 28: The recent appointment of 82 grade-IV employees in the education department has renewed political rivalry between the MMA and ANP, it is learnt.

The recruitments were made on Feb 19 and appointment orders were handed over to selected applicants at a ceremony where NWFP Education Minister Maulana Fazl Ali was the chief guest. MPA Dr Salim was present on the occasion.

Sources said the successful candidates fell into three categories; they were either sons of the department's deceased employees, or had donated land, or had come on merit. This is a common practice in the province that if one donates land for establishment of a school, one can get an appointment letter or two in return.

Awami National Party MPAs Mukhtiar Khan and Amir Rehman did not have any objection on the first two categories, but they demanded adjustment of their recommendations in appointments made under the open quota category. They alleged the MMA had violated the merit.

All appointments, the sources said, were made on the contract basis and each employee would get a fixed monthly salary of Rs2,800.

The ANP MPAs were of the view that unjustifiable importance was given to Dr Salim when appointments were made. Formerly an ANP leader and now an arch rival of the party, Dr Saleem had parted ways with the Wali Bagh leaders and established his own party five years back.

Talking to this correspondent, Mr Mukhtiar Khan said the chief minister had directed the education minister to settle the matter amicably. But, he regretted, even that directive was ignored.

"We have put this issue on the agenda of the assembly and will take it up when the session starts on March 8," he said.

The ANP lawmaker argued that under the local bodies ordinance the grade-IV appointments should be made by the district government. Clearly, he pointed out, the MMA government had violated the ordinance.