KARACHI, Aug 29: The electioneering is gaining momentum with the filing of nominations by all major political parties and alliances.
After the scrutiny of papers, the leaders of these parties have started serious in-house party discussions about the prospects of their winning candidates and seat-to-seat adjustment with other parties.
The party leaders are seen visiting their traditional constituencies and contacting their workers to open election offices.
A national assembly PPP candidate, when contacted, said the election tempo will gear up when the political activities will begin after Sept 1.
He further said after filing the nomination papers and completion of scrutiny of papers, the party will consider the possibility of seat-to-seat adjustment with other parties.
He did not rule out the possibility of seat adjustment with the PML-Nawaz, saying “we are also discussing other options while keeping in view the ground realities.”
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has also announced that it will not enter into any electoral alliance with any party. However, it also keeps the option of seat-to-seat arrangement in the interior Sindh.
The election scene in the city will be crystal clear after the announcement of final list of candidates by all major parties and alliances.
So far, there appears to be emergence of three major political groups in the city’s political landscape: These are the MQM, the PPP and the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) which is the conglomerate of six religious parties.
Unlike the past, this time the PML-Nawaz is now no more a dictating force in the city because of division in the ranks of the Muslim Leaguers. The party has to seek adjustment with the other leading parties to secure some seats.
All indications show that so far no party had yet completed its in-house exercise and they have not reached an agreement on a single issue with other parties.
It is also not clear whether seat adjustment would be made on the basis of pro-and anti-government camps in their quest of finding winning horses against the rival parties candidates.
It is learnt that the six-party religious alliance had been able to finalize the names of national assembly candidates but the six parties pro-government National Alliance has yet to finalize seat adjustment.
According to political observers, the PPP will also make adjustments with PML(N) on selective basis otherwise both the parties will face defeat at the hands of the MQM.
However, intensive efforts are being by some PML-Nawaz stalwarts for making seat adjustments with the PPP in the city and would do so only where it will find no suitable candidate.
