Is the party really over?

Wishful thinking has led government leaders to write a premature epitaph for the PDM. Despite an exchange of hot words in the Tuesday meeting, opposition leaders tactfully postponed a decision on the alliance’s future course of action.

There were sharp differences over the issue of resignations from assemblies between the PPP and the rest of the allies. The matter had been kept pending so far as it was considered to be the last option to give the government a final and decisive push. The issue was raised because the majority of the allies insisted on resignations from the assemblies as a precondition to make the long march successful.

The PPP, which rules the second largest province in the country, has managed to complete the first half of its tenure despite strong pressures from the Federal Government, including attempts to overthrow the Sindh government by buying the loyalties of its MPAs. It would be unrealistic to expect that the PPP would resign halfway through its tenure without a guarantee, which none is in a position to provide, that the resignations would lead to the overthrow of the PTI government at the Centre followed by fresh elections. The resignations would allow the federal government to make inroads in the province at the PPP’s expense and provide an opportunity to the PM to go ahead with wresting the control of the Sindh islands and to rescind the 18^th Amendment. The PPP might agree to resign some months before the general elections, but presently retaining the government is an existential issue for the party. The other members of the PDM face no problem of the sort.

The PPP’s CEC is likely to meet ahead of ZAB’s death anniversary on April 4. Hopefully the constituents of the PDM would realise that it suits the opposition to remain united while facing a vengeful government. The PDM being a united front, it can only be run successfully through consensus rather than a majority vote. Fortunately there are sensible voices in the alliance. A prominent PML(N) leader has maintained that If the PPP doesn’t agree on resignations the other parties could go ahead and resign, while keeping the door open for the PPP to join the long march or the subsequent dharna.