ISLAMABAD - Ostensibly Pakistan Peoples Party seems in troubled waters over the Revised General Sales Tax (RGST) issue but behind the curtain, it has almost completed its homework to manage the controversial bill comfortably sail through the National Assembly. Sources aware of both covert and overt developments taking place on the national political horizon informed The Nation that in days to come Muttahida Qoumi Movement (MQM) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam would get under the wings of the Pakistan Peoples Party obviously after having another round of 'dialogue with their senior coalition partner. A senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader who did not want to be named argued how the junior coalition partners would sink the boat they were boarding with Pakistan Peoples Party and ultimately they had to come along with the government on RGST as in case of any harm to the incumbent political dispensation they would also be among the losers. After having a careful look at the party position in the National Assembly, it transpired that even if the MQM took the extreme stand on RGST by voting against the bill the Pakistan Peoples Party would manage to get the bill through from the Lower House of the Parliament, though with a bit difficultly. Pakistan Peoples Party has some 127 MPs in the National Assembly while with the support of Awami National Party with 13 MPs, FATA and independent 17, JUI-F 7, PML-Functional 5 and BNP-Awami 1 the ruling coalition would almost touch the mark of 170, only one short of the required figure of 171 to have simple majority. Sources in the Pakistan Peoples Party said that on top of it PML-Q having the strength of 53 in the Lower House, would also have a significant role to play. Though the party president Ch Shujaat Hussain at a press conference Saturday said that his party would not only oppose the RGST but also vote against it in the National Assembly and put the blame of oppositions failure in Senate on PML-N and other opposition parties which had not boycotted the proceedings as jointly agreed. These sources said that PML-Q had recently secured the slot of Chairman ERRA from the government and about a month back Federal Minister for Law Dr Babar Awan had also one-on-one meeting with Ch Pervaiz Elahi in Lahore wherein according to a senior PPP leader both parties had agreed to support each other on a number of counts for the sake of democracy. Sources further said that PML-Q had understanding with the PPP that they would criticise the tabling of RGST in the National Assembly and would oppose it but in case the bill was put to voting they would walk out of the house to pave the way for smooth sailing for the government. Sources further said that the smaller coalition partners like MQM would definitely support government in case the RGST was put to vote otherwise they would continue raising voice against RGST forcefully and would also demand slapping of agriculture tax during the upcoming session of the National Assembly scheduled for Dec 20.