In a fresh bid to forge opposition unity, Pakistan's two most popular leaders Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto are expected to meet on Monday to consider boycotting the January 8 polls, while electoral authorities were to decide on the validity of the PML-N leader's nomination papers.
The decision will be anxiously awaited as the candidacy of his brother Shahbaz Sharif was rejected, citing pending criminal charges. Despite the party's decision to boycott the polls, Shahbaz has decided to challenge the decision in court saying the move was politically motivated.
Bhutto on Monday said if the elections are boycotted it would strengthen Musharraf as parties backed by him would come into power.
"That's why we are saying we will take part in elections under protest, but we will also eave the door open" for boycott, the Pakistan People's party chief told reporters in Peshawar during her election campaign.
Bhutto claimed she was getting conflicting signals from Sharif and Islamist alliance MMA's leaders on the issue of boycott as they had filed their nomination papers.
Asserting that all "moderate forces and democratic forces should work together", Bhutto, however, kept the field open for a consensus with Sharif on the issue.
"I have signed the charter of democracy with Nawaz Sharif and we are committed to it," she said.
PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar had earlier said that Sharif's PML-N contacted the party for a meeting and the two leaders would "probably meet on Monday or Tuesday".