Some quarters within the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) have not approved of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi being made the Punjab Chief Minister, despite several consultation meetings between the opposition parties, source have said.
Senior PML-N leader Pervaiz Rashid told the Tribune that the only matter holding the opposition coalition together was the ouster of Prime Minister Imran Khan, highlighting potential fault line ahead of the no-confidence vote.
As both sides of the aisle attempt to court the PML-Q for a critical five votes in the NA, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has emerged as the likely successor to Usman Buzdar.
Before the no-confidence vote had been submitted, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had named Pervaiz Elahi as his preferred candidate for the provincial chief ministership role.
One provincial leader of the PML-N, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that while PML-N might have its reservations, due to the nature of the coalition, PML-N would ultimately concede on Elahi’s nomination.
Another PML-N parliamentarian claimed that Elahi was a smooth operator, currently entertaining both the incumbent government and the opposition, and termed the move to give him the chief ministership position ‘unwise.’
In an interview on March 15, Pervaiz Elahi confirmed in a televised news interview that the opposition had already offered him the coveted role.
A few days earlier, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had committed a political gaffe, accusing erstwhile supporters PML-Q of blackmailing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for the Punjab chief minister position.
