Although the PPP enjoys a simple majority in the 168-member Sindh Assembly, its coalition partners — the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, the National People’s Party, the ANP — had parted ways with it on different occasions to join opposition ranks. Except the MQM, all other parties in the coalition had left the PPP after the promulgation of the Sindh People’s Local Government Ordinance, which was later passed into law by the Sindh Assembly. Recently, the PPP had repealed the SPLGA, 2012 and revived the local government system of 1979 after the MQM parted ways with the government. As the PML-F and the NPP are set to forge an anti-PPP electoral alliance with the main opposition party PML-N in Sindh, the PPP tried its best and finally succeeded in luring the ANP, which has only two lawmakers in the provincial assembly, to rejoin the provincial government. A meeting between representatives of the PPP and the ANP was held at the Chief Minister’s House on Wednesday in which the latter presented their demands. Rana Gul Afridi, Ameer Nawab and Younus Buneri represented the ANP, while provincial minister Agha Siraj Durrani, Ayaz Soomro and Rashid Rabbani attended the meeting on behalf of the PPP. Sources said that the ANP demands included consultation with the party for the formation of a caretaker set-up in Sindh and complete powers for labour minister to transfer and post officials in the ministry. However, Sindh ANP secretary-general Bashir Jan said the party did not present any demand and the purpose of talks was just to judge how firm the PPP was in their decision to revert to the 1979 LG system. “Our negotiations with the PPP have been successful, but we will make a formal announcement of rejoining the government after obtained an approval from our central leadership,” said Mr Jan. “There is no moral ground for us to stay in the opposition after the withdrawal of the anti-Sindh local government law.” A statement issued from the CM House said that “on the request of the PPP, the ANP announced its unconditional return” to the Sindh government. Mr Jan said the announcement to leave the PPP-led government was made by the party’s central leadership in Islamabad and no decision could be made public without taking them into confidence. “An internal party meeting will be held on Thursday at the Mardan House following which we will inform our central leadership about the successful dialogues with the PPP.” It is worth noting that ANP’s Ameer Nawab held the portfolio of labour but he forwarded his resignation following the party decision to leave the coalition government.