PESHAWAR, Nov 29: There are rumours of a rift surfacing in the ranks of the PPP Parliamentarians and Awami National Party.

Sources told Dawn that some of the newly-elected members of the PPP and ANP were clandestinely trying to form a joint forward bloc to bargain with Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for a share in the future developmental schemes.

Apparently, both parties seemed unruffled and were showing an easiness in their ranks, but the missing of two votes in the speaker’s election on Wednesday did perturbed them. The MMA secured one vote more than its expected 80.

Leaders of both the parties, PPP and ANP, denied that anything like defection was going to happen in their ranks. They termed it “propaganda”.

But, an MMA member from Shangla, Pir Mohammad Khan, confirmed that the members of the forward bloc would soon hold a news conference and announce their future strategy.

The political analysts say that it’s a two-pronged agenda, first some opposition members, having the backing of the MMA’s back-benchers, would form a forward bloc and then some sleeping turncoats in the MMA would join hands with them.

Because, neither the bureaucracy nor their western masters were ready to swallow an MMA-led setup in the volatile Frontier province abutting onto Afghanistan.

The MMA leadership has compounded many a problems for itself during and after the elections. It’s random opposition to the US presence either side of the Pakistan-Afghan border sent some dangerous signals to the US administration, which granted a clean chit to the military leaders to reset the political course.

Now, the MMA’s main leadership prefers not to comment on the US interests in Pakistan. They have started to learn how to live with the status quo forces. Their internal differences may also come into light over petty issues.

“The MMA, which is going to form governments in two provinces, Frontier and Balochistan, cannot opt for an opposition role at the Centre. Keeping this situation in mind, the MMA has decided to have a power-sharing coalition with the PML-Q at the Centre. The MMA has decided to once gain hold talks with the PML-Q,” said an MMA insider.

The restoration of the amended Constitution in instalments by the government has also forced the MMA to review its priorities.

After the Muttahida Qaumi Movement withdrew its parliamentary support to the PML-Q at the Centre, it worked in favour of the MMA in both provinces.