PESHAWAR, Dec 4: A serious row has erupted between the Pakistan People’s Party and the PPP (Parliamentarians) following reports that party’s provincial president Khwaja Muhammad Khan Hoti may be shown the door in the wake of the party’s poor showing in the recent elections.

Indications of the rift came when a Hoti spokesman took a swipe at the PPP (Parliamentarians) in the NWFP accusing them of being corrupt and turncoats.

In a strongly-worded statement, the PPP spokesman named the PPP (P) MPAs Syed Zahir Shah and PPP (P) parliamentary leader Abdul Akbar Khan of betraying the spirit of the late party chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The spokesman wondered how did these elements, which were opposed to the alliance between the PPP and ANP in the elections, become allies of the Pakhtoon nationalist party and the PPP (Sherpao).

The spokesman particularly criticized the PPP-P MPAs and accused them of being corrupt and turncoats and said that they should be held accountable.

Recalling Hoti’s earlier association with the PPP (Sherpao), the spokesman asserted that the PPP provincial president had opposed Aftab Sherpao for party’s sake. “Sherpao is a respectable person and he has rendered many sacrifices for the party.”

He said that the real character of those who had bowed before Sherpao had been exposed. He requested Sherpao to let them join his party. He warned those elements to refrain from making baseless accusations.

Sources close to the PPP provincial president said that Hoti had twice submitted his resignation to the PPP chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, after the party’s poor showing in the recent election.

These sources said that reports in the press of a possible removal of the PPP provincial president were unwarranted.

“This amounts to hitting below the belt. When Hoti himself has offered to resign, why should there be reports of his removal,” the sources asked.