LAHORE, Feb 24: A number of PML-Q leaders may part company with their party to join the PPP-led government of national consensus.

The PPP is not inclined to join hands with the party that ruled the country for the past five years, but may accept individual leaders on “case to case” basis.

Some PML-Q leaders and independents, elected on National Assembly and Punjab Assembly seats, have also decided to join the PML-N. The party is likely to make an announcement in this regard during the next few days.

The PML-N is studying the relevant laws to save such people from the legal consequences of changing loyalties.

A central PPP leader said on Sunday that Mr Asif Ali Zardari wanted to form a government of national consensus, but there was no room for the PML-Q in the proposed setup. However, individual leaders wanting to join the setup could be talked to and accepted, he said.

Former Punjab chief minister Manzoor Wattoo, elected on two NA seats as an independent, said on Sunday that he was trying to convince the party to join the PPP-led government of national consensus in the larger national interest. He claimed that except for a few people, all others in the parliamentary party supported his point of view.

According to him, the response from the PPP and the PML-N leaders was also very encouraging.

He hoped that the PML-Q leadership would ultimately agree to his point of view. However, he did not say what would be his line of action if his efforts failed to yield results.