SWABI, Dec 12: The dissident group of Awami National Party in the district has decided to join Pakistan People's Party-Sherpao, according to sources.

“PPP-S provincial chief Sikandar Sherpao visited the residence of Jehanzeb Khan, leader of the ANP dissident group, on Sunday. They agreed to work together in future,” sources told Dawn .

The decision has buried the expectations of ANP leadership about wooing back the dissidents. ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan had told a public meeting on Nov 28 in the district that disgruntled local leaders and their supporters would be brought back into the party fold.

The provincial leaders of ANP visited several times the district to resolve differences between party's district president Haji Rehmanullah and general secretary Jehanzeb Khan. But the visits failed to bear fruits.

Sources said that talks between Mr Khan and PPP-S delegation lasted for several hours. The PPP-S had constituted a jirga that appealed to the dissidents to join the party along with their friends and families.

“I represent the annoyed group of ANP. My friends and colleagues stand like a rock with me in difficult times. I don't want to announce my decision at a press conference. I have made it clear to the PPP-S leaders,” said Mr Khan.

He said that a public meeting was planned at his residence on Dec 20. PPP-S chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao would address the meeting and he would announce his decision in the presence of his supporters, he added.

To a query, Mr Khan said that the parallel office-bearers of ANP in the six constituencies of provincial assembly in the district would also join PPP-S.

However, some members of the dissident group including former district information secretary Mohammad Rashid, Younas Bacha, Fakkar Zaman and Jan Alam said that it was personal decision of Salim Khan and Jehanzeb Khan to join PPP-S. They said they had differences with the leadership but they wanted to remain in the party and work against the wrong policies of the leaders. They said that they would not join PPP-S.

Meanwhile, sources said that former nazim of Chaknoda union council and his supporters would also join PPP-S.