SWABI, Dec 21: Boycott by a group of workers marred a meeting of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) that was convened here the other day to announce the names of district office-bearers of the party.

The divisional leadership of PPP announced the names of district office-bearers in the meeting and local leaders accepted the same, however, a group of senior workers boycotted the meeting, saying their recommendations were ignored in that regard.

Differences in district chapter of PPP cropped up soon after establishment of its government in the centre following 2008 elections. However, about a month ago the district organisation of the party was dissolved and its divisional leadership formed a four-member committee to hold consultations with leaders of the two rival groups; one led by former district president Manfat Khan and other by former general secretary Fida Hussain, to resolve the issue.

Gohar Inqilabi, Iqbal Khan, Hafiz Khan and Abdullah Khan were members of the committee. They were told to recommend the names of suitable candidates for district cabinet of the party.In Thursday’s meeting, the divisional leadership nominated Javed Khan Inqilabi as district president, Abdul Aziz Khan as senior vice-president, Ali Khan as general secretary and Umer Farooq Khan as deputy general secretary of PPP.

Hafiz Khan, a member of the committee, objected to the names and said that their recommendations were ignored. He along with some other workers expressed reservations over the nomination of the district office-bearers and boycotted the meeting.

“We boycotted the meeting as a protest and our supporters followed us. We protested the decision of the leadership for not considering the committee’s recommendations,” Mr Khan said.

However, Javed Inqilabi said that the party was in the control of genuine workers and it was for the first time during the last four years that activists belonging to rival camps sat together and vowed to work for strengthening of the party.

He said that those, who opposed the policy of the district leaders, would face disciplinary action. He said that some workers were hatching conspiracies against the new officer-bearers.