The opposition, however, promised votes in support of the PML-N dissidents' proposed candidate. "The opposition will support any new candidate for the chief minister Balochistan named by the disgruntled PML-N legislators", Wasey said.
Balochistan National Party (BNP) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, PML-Q MPA and former deputy speaker Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and PML-N dissidents Jan Mohammad Jamali and Sardar Saleh Bhootani were also present on the occasion. "We played our democratic role and will continue to do so in the future," Mengal said. BNP, which has two legislators in the Balochistan Assembly, had previously supported the no-confidence motion against Zehri.
The dissident group within the PML-N includes Sarfraz Bugti, whose resignation/ouster from the home minister's office had worsened the political crisis in the province. PML-N sources said Jamali, Bhootani and Bizenjo were all strong candidates for the top slot in the province as like-minded legislators of the party met on Wednesday to nominate the new Balochistan chief minister.