LAHORE - Opposition leader and Punjab's PML-Q president Ch Pervaiz Elahi has said that as mark of protest at the government's alleged attempts to push the opposition to wall, his party will not participate in the election of chief minister today (Sunday). "For the last four months the government is not prepared to issue the notification to opposition leader, nor ready even to allocate him an office in the assembly building. It is a unique thing happening in the Punjab Assembly's history," Pervaiz said. He was addressing a press conference here on Saturday at his residence. Flanked by prominent party leaders including opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Ch Zaheer and Raja Basharat, he said that it was first government of its kind which had been appealing to the people to participate in rallies and procession, adding that it wants to wear both hats, that of opposition and government at the same time. He said one rally cost the national exchequer one billion while political unrest cost additional harm to the country and still the government was oblivious of all this asking the people to take to the street. Pervaiz alleged that rulers in Punjab had been persecuting the opposition. "Cases are being registered against our workers in every district in a large number. The police are after them. All this is meant to push the opposition to wall," he said. He said that government had no plan to give any relief to people as was evident from its performance in the last four months. "There is a marked increase in the prices since the new government took over. Just take the example of flour. In 2007 one kg atta was sold at the rate of Rs 14 while it is available now at the rate of Rs 24. "The prices of other kitchen items have registered huge increase but no corrective measure has been taken" he said. He said that the opposition would participate in the budget session in an effective manner. To a question, he said President Musharraf had been elected for a term of five years. Responding to a question on Sheikh Rashid who formed his own party recently, he said "he is our brother and soon we will bring him back to the party". Pervaiz said that no member of forward bloc would vote for the new chief minister.