February 12, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 04 ,1429

HYDERABAD, Feb 11: As the countdown begins for the Feb 18 general election, political activities have stirred back to life in the historic city and its adjoining areas after a rather difficult and unpredictable period following the death of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27.

Candidates of different political parties, particularly those of the PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, have shifted to top gear, creating a good environment for electioneering in almost every nook and corner of the district.

Political activists bring out big and small motorcades and rallies on motorcycles in the evening, which continue till late into the night. Luckily, there have been no reports of violence from any part of the city though at some places rival activists almost came to blows.

The city’s recent history bears witness to violent clashes between the parties, sparked by their unwillingness to provide passage to rallies in their strongholds. But this time the situation is altogether and visibly different, either due to a newfound sense of tolerance and accommodation or some kind of undeclared understanding among the parties.

The parties and their supporters have set up election offices in their respective strongholds. The offices, often set up in shops, are decorated with colourful lights, party flags, posters and banners.

Activists waving tri-coloured party flags of MQM and PPP rule the streets and roads while their sympathisers play party songs at high volume outside the election offices. They keep dancing and raising full-throated slogans of “Naara-i-Altaf, Jeay Altaf or Naara-i-Bhutto, Jeay Bhutto” till late into the night.

“Dila teer bijan” still remains one of the most popular PPP songs and “Mazloomoon Ka Saathi hai Altaf Hussain” has almost attained the status of a party anthem.

Benazir’s death has added a new dimension to electioneering. PPP workers, who would have come up with new slogans and election tactics had their leader not been killed in such a tragic manner, now feel content with playing her speeches to get people’s attention.

The workers have installed additional sound systems in their vehicles and fitted them with loudspeakers to carry their leader’s voice to people during rallies.

It appears that the political parties are spending a great deal on getting giant portraits made and erected at all the main roundabouts. The city is teeming with MQM flags and kites — the party’s election symbol — besides huge portraits of Altaf Hussain which are on the rooftops, roads and poles.

“We charge them on a per square foot basis and at present we are preparing prints roughly around a dozen a day,” said Mohammad Shahid, who is in the business of preparing giant portraits.

He said that over the past three to four years panaflex pictures and screens had come much in demand. “We prepare such screens and pictures in an hour or two,” he said.

It is also common to see groups of youths putting bouquets near Benazir Bhutto’s portraits outside the PPP’s many election offices. Workers brave the cold, with mercury sometimes dropping to 5 degrees Celsius, to keep electioneering going.

In fact some of them rather enjoy the weather by sitting and idly chatting around bonfires outside the election offices.