KARACHI: A daylong brouhaha on electronic media about the expected debut of Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in electoral politics died down on Thursday when a party spokesman said the young leader would not become a lawmaker until the next general elections in 2018.

Earlier in the day, dozens of news channels speculated with gusto that Bilawal would enter contest for the NA-204 (Larkana) constituency and that Ayaz Soomro, the PPP leader who previously won the seat, had already resigned as MNA.

“There is no truth in the speculation that the party chairman is contesting by-election for a Larkana seat,” Senator Farhatullah Babar told Dawn. “In fact, he is not going to contest any by-election till 2018 as per the decision of the party’s high command.”

Bilawal turned 25 last September and became eligible to contest for seats in the national and provincial legislatures.

Since then he has assumed charge of the party and made several speeches about its future vision.

In his speech on the PPP’s 46th foundation day in November he explicitly mentioned 2018 as the year when the party would be regaining its ‘past glory’.

Meanwhile, sources in the party said that Mr Soomro’s resignation as MNA had nothing to do with Bilawal.

They explained that Mr Soomro would now be contesting for a Sindh assembly seat from Larkana to become eligible to join the provincial cabinet as minister for law and parliamentary affairs.

“Our provincial government needs an experienced law minister as it is an important portfolio. Mr Soomro has already worked as law minister for five years,” said a senior party leader.

Officials said Mr Soomro and PPP’s Larkana MPA Khurshid Junejo would swap seats, in line with a party decision.

The sources, however, said Mr Junejo had yet to hand over his resignation to the party office-bearers. It remains to be seen when the party officials would hand over the two leaders’ resignations to the speakers of the two legislatures involved, they added.