GUJRAT, Feb 1 The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) is likely to get a much-needed boost in the home of Chaudhrys of Gujrat as the Kulewal group led by former district naib nazim Syed Noorul Hasan Shah is all set to quit the Q-League to join the PML-N.

Mr Shah will announce joining the Nawaz League in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister's Adviser Zulfiqar Khosa in Lalamusa in the next few days and all terms have been negotiated between the group and the party, sources told Dawn.

Mr Shah is the brother of former MNA Syed Manzoor Shah (late), and a rival of the Kaira group in Kharian politics.

The development will be a big blow to the Chaudhrys, led by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, ahead of local council elections expected to be held in the next few months.

The Kulewal group has been one of the old allies of the Chaudhrys in the politics of Gujrat and rival of the Kaira family of the Pakistan People's Party in Kharian for a long time. Mr Shah lost the 2008 general election on a PML-Q ticket against Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira.

Shah's elder brother Syed Manzoor Hussain had defeated Haji Mohammad Asghar Kaira (late), the uncle of Qamar Kaira, and the father of Kharian Tehsil Nazim Nadeem Asghar Kaira, in 1990 and 1997 elections whereas Nadeem Asghar Kaira had defeated Syed Noorul Hassan in the elections for Kharian tehsil nazim in 2005.

Soon after the 2008 poll debacle, when most of the Q leaders started deserting the Chaudhrys in flocks and joined the ruling league, the Shah group seemed steadfast in its support for their Chaudhry friends. Sources said PML-N district president Malik Hanif Awan played a key role in persuading the Kulewal group to join the ruling league. A close aide of Mr Shah confirmed the reports of the Kulewal group's decision to join the N-League.

Earlier, two MPAs from the Q camp -- Mian Tariq Mehmood (PP-113) and Chaudhry Arshad (PP-114) have also parted ways with the Chaudhrys by joining the forward block.

The Chaudhrys, also veteran politicians, have yet to show their cards to cope with such political deserters to keep their hegemony in local politics.