12 April 2004	Monday	21 Safar 1425

MULTAN, April 11: Chishtian and adjoining areas in Bahawalnagar district are all set to see by-polls on Monday (today) for NA-190 vacated after the demise of former federal minister Abdul Sattar Laleka.

Four candidates are in the arena but the contest is being considered only between Tahir Basheer Cheema of the PML-Q and Muhammad Ali Laleka of the PPP. The other two candidates are Mian Ihsan Bari of MMA and independent Lateef Ansar Lajpal.

Sattar Laleka's widow also wanted to contest but the ruling party denied her its support and preferred the younger brother of PPP dissident and Bahawalpur district Nazim Tariq Basheer Cheema.

PPP leadership present in the country has given much importance to the Chishtian by-election as party chairperson's close aide Ms Naheed Khan, Jehangir Badr, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Khalid Kharal and Qasim Zia are in Chishtian to cultivate the electorate in favour of Ali Laleka with their strong presence in the area.

As Ali Laleka is a joint candidate of the alliance for restoration of democracy, PML-N top brass, including Begum Tehmina Daultana, Zulfiqar Khosa and Khwaja Saad Rafiq are also electioneering for him in Chishtian. Entry of the heavyweights in the election campaign has provided an opportunity to the electorate to interact with the people who are key players of the country's political scene.

On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi could not come to the area although he was scheduled to come to Chishtian on Friday last to boost winning prospects of the ruling party candidate. Cancellation of his visit has been interpreted by both Cheema and Laleka camps in their own way. - Correspondent