KARACHI, Dec 9: With only two days left for the Sindh assembly’s inaugural session, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has claimed it has mustered enough support to form a government in the province.

The deputy convener of the MQM’s coordination committee, Nasreen Jaleel, said on Monday that as of now her party had the required majority in the House.

But the situation is not that comfortable in the regime-backed constellation as differences between the PML-Q and other GNA components had become critical over candidates for the top slot.

The situation compelled Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain of the PML-Q to fly into the metropolis to overcome the friction which may jeopardize efforts of the King’s party not to give the PPP any chance to form a government in its own bastion.

Chaudhry Shujaat is also expected to meet the MQM leaders and persuade them to agree to a consensus candidate and reconsider the nomination of Syed Sardar Ahmed.

However, the MQM’s Nasreen Jaleel recalled that it had earlier been agreed upon between the MQM and GNA that the two sides would field a consensus candidate for the slot of cheif minister. She indicated that since the GNA continued to insist on its candidate which was not acceptable to Pir Pagara, the MQM and PML-F reached an understanding on a common candidate.

She referred to the rapidly changing political situation in the province owing to the MQM’s decision to sit on the opposition benches and, later, reverting to its earlier position and said that the MQM was now determined to win the top slot for its candidate Syed Sardar Ahmed.

“If the GNA is interested in becoming a coalition partner, it will have to accept the MQM’s pivotal position,” she declared.

Nasreen Jaleel said: “If the present strength of the House is considered as 163, then an MQM-led government will be in a comfortable position.”

Meanwhile, the provincial parliamentary party of the PPP Parliamentarians met at the residence of its leader, Nisar Khuhro, and evolved a strategy for the forthcoming assembly session.