LAHORE, Oct 29 The Pakistan Muslim League-N, which has so far been taking casually reports about the merger of League factions, reacted strongly on Friday to the formation of Muttahida Muslim League under the patronage of Pir Pagara.

“Various alliances and individuals are being fielded with a plan to divide PML-N vote bank in the next elections and thus obstruct our (likely) extraordinary success (in the polls),” said the party's spokesperson, Ahsan Iqbal. He had earlier rejected the elements desirous of merger as 'alumni club' of Gen Musharraf with no “worthwhile future agenda”.

Recalling that the PML-N had been defeated in the 1993 election through the same scheme by fielding the Pakistan Islamic Front to divide the right wing vote, Mr Iqbal asserted that this time the plan would fail as time had now changed and voters had become more aware of 'political games'.

Rejecting the chances of the 'alumni club' joining hands with the PML-N, he said that these groups had sided with Gen Musharraf and had an approach and thinking different from “principled and ideological” politics of the PML-N.

Showing resolve of his party to remain committed to its stand, he said the party would not sacrifice its principles and ideology at the altar of “a few temporary benefits”.

Notwithstanding the casual public response of the party to a meeting between PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Law Minister Babar Awan, observers said, the move shook the PML-N leadership.

At consultative meetings held immediately afterwards, Nawaz Sharif reportedly directed his senior colleagues to confirm reports that the powers that be were facilitating the development.

He also said that the Q leaders unhappy with the meeting should be “taken care of”. These disgruntled elements might be sent feelers that they could be accepted into the PML-N fold.

A meeting between the Unification Bloc of PML-Q legislators in the Punjab Assembly and N-League at the Chief Minister's Secretariat on Friday evening made it obvious that PML-N is weighing the pros and cons of the Elahi-Awan development, a leader of the bloc said.

“We've been unsuccessfully seeking an audience with the PML-N high-ups for the last two years. But within days of the Elahi-Awan meeting we have been invited for a discussion at a half-an-hour notice,” he added.