POLITICAL parties and a number of new alliances that have come into being recently have started holding closed-door meetings, as well as corner and public meetings, for mustering support of the people in the forthcoming election. The election, if we go by the frequent assurances held out by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, will be held in October.

However, there have been some shake-ups in the rank and file of the newly-elected Nazims and Naib Nazims in the interior of Sindh following a statement by provincial Minister for Local Bodies Deewan Yousuf Farooqi that threatened to disqualify the grassroots’ leaders if they were found indulging in politics with reference to the upcoming polls, and a new set of people would be brought in their place.

Further, there are reports that the PPP high command has, on the other hand, also taken a serious view of some Nazims getting closer to the government, like having frequent meetings with high-ups at Islamabad and making assurances to President Musharraf of their support in future. The PPP high command, according to a report, intends to seek explanation from such Nazims.

Party sources say the high command is quite upset over reports that Nazims have extended unconditional support to the president and his government and is, therefore, issuing notices to such Nazims. Notices seeking explanation will remain confidential and individual-specific. According to a source, a list of such Nazims has already been provided to chairperson Benazir Bhutto for necessary action.

One option with the PPP high command is that it may ask such Nazims to resign en masse, or the party presidents at district-level may ask them to submit their blank resignations to the party to show that they are loyal to it. Moreover, if any of these Nazims opted for party ticket, the matter will be decided on the basis of merit and loyalty to the party.

Meanwhile, the local PPP circles believe that party chairperson Benazir Bhutto would most probably be returning about April 4, which is the day of death anniversary of her father and founder of the party, former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

There are also reports that some government agencies have approached the press people, including newspapers, to procure photographs and record pertaining to the Nazims’ participation in party activities. These agencies have also contacted some photographers and videomen and obtained video record as a matter of proof of the Nazims’ involvement in political activity.

According to observers, this is a pressure tactic employed by the government to keep the Nazims and Naib Nazims under control and at a safe distance from the political parties. Also, if the government later on wants any of these Nazims to contest the upcoming polls on its behalf, it may be able to do so because of its control over them gained through the manipulation of the circumstances they were placed in and monitored by the agencies.

Moreover, the Sindh Democratic Alliance (SDA) has been giving rather a tough time to the PPP for the last some months as the killing of Sadham Chand Chawla in Jacobabad has posed problems not only for Elahi Bux Soomro and Muqim Khan Khoso (both allies of the PML), but also for the PPP and Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani.

Mr Bijarani’s son, Shabbir Ali Bijarani, is the district Nazim of Jacobabad, and he was strongly backed by the PPP against Muqim Khan Khoso, who (Khoso) had been ousted from the party because of his alignment with Elahi Bux Soomro. The FIR against the Naib Nazim, Ejaz Jakhrani, of Jacobabad, has created problems for the PPP, as well as for Hazar Khan Bijarani, for the minorities are insisting on the arrest of Naib Nazim Jakhrani for his alleged involvement in the murder.

The Hazar Khan Bijarani group is at the back of the Jakhranis, while the minorities are pressing the PPP for supporting them against the Jakhranis, and so this a test of patience for all these groups and individuals.

There are indications that the SDA and the PPP would come face to face in the coming election. The two, nowadays, are in race to seek the support of probable candidates, many of whom are former MNAs, MPAs and senators.

The PPP is largely affected by the long absence of the party chairperson from the country but any further absence will do the party a real setback inasmuch as the party position in regard to the upcoming polls is concerned.

It is thus said that the party high command has advised her to reach here by April, although she also runs the risk of being arrested on arrival.

Partymen believe that in case the chairperson is arrested, the party will get a boost instead of a setback, but if the government is not able to take her into custody in order not to trigger any adverse criticism, it will increase the party popularity graph. In either case the party stands to gain. What matters most is Ms Bhutto’s presence to lead the party and partymen successfully through the election.

The local bodies ordinance is quite clear about the role of Nazims and Naib Nazims. Since they were elected on a non-party basis, they are not eligible to take part in party politics. They have to perform their LB role in a neutral and transparent manner, without favour to anyone, irrespective of political affiliations. Such Nazims could also not take part in the party meetings, as this might jeopardize their performance as Nazim in the public activity.

Now the situation in Sindh’s interior is such that almost all the Nazims and Naib Nazims at the district level belong to the PPP, or the NPP or the PML, with a small number of them belonging to the Jamaat-i-Islami. The Jamaat’s Nazims are better disciplined and shun politicking, but others do not and they, therefore, may try to bargain with the powers that matter.

As for the election scenario it may be said that in the absence of the proposed delimitations in which