GUJRAT: The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) are expected to give a tough time to the PML-N in Gujrat’s local government elections on Oct 31.

Although both these opposition parties have fielded their separate panels against the ruling party in the district, the PML-Q candidates appear strong in the rural union councils of Gujrat tehsil whereas in rural as well as urban areas of Kharian and Sara-i-Alamgir tehsils, the PTI will be the main contender against the PML-N.

In 12 urban union councils of Gujrat city’s municipal corporation, there will be a triangular contest as the mainstream (opposition) parties have fielded their complete panels in all the city UCs. The PML-N has 11 panels after rejection of nomination papers of its panel of chairman from UC 4, where the PML-Q and PTI have a contest.

Observers say the three parties have chances of bagging equal number of union council chairman seats in the city area. In some areas, the PML-Q has formed the panels in collaboration with the PPP and the PTI has gone for adjustment with the Jamaat-i-Islami.

Owing to a lack of interest by the senior party leadership in Gujrat, the potential candidates of the PPP have either joined the PTI or the PML-N. According to party insiders, the PPP is in a good position despite efforts to forge some local alliances with the opposition parties.

There is also a perception that a PTI-PML-Q alliance could have posed a real threat to the PML-N but sources in both parties say such a cooperation is possible in the next phase of electing chairmen and vice chairmen of district council and municipal committees as both parties have some internal problems in accommodating the aspirants.

Unlike Gujrat tehsil, both PTI and PML-Q are cooperating in Kharian and Sara-i-Alamgir tehsils, where most of the influential political groups of PTI like Kulewal group of former MNA Manzoor Shah, Kolianwala group of former caretaker Punjab chief minister Mian Afzal Hayat, ex-MPA Liaquat Bhadar and ex-MPA Chaudhry Arshad had previously been close allies of the Chaudhrys in local politics.

Sources said the PML-Q leaders had directed their local cadres in Kharian and Sara-i-Alamgir to extend cooperation to the PTI against the ruling party to pave the way for a good show.

Out of the six municipal committees of the towns of district, there is a a one on one contest between the PML-N and PTI for the municipal committees of Kharian and Dinga whereas in the town of Jalalpur Jattan, the PML Q, PPP, JI and the PTI are up against the PML-N. In Lalamusa, the PPP, PTI and PML-N have fielded equal number of candidates in 22 of the 24 wards and eight candidates are from the JI.

There will be a main fight between the PML-Q and PML-N besides some independents in Kunjah. In Sara-i-Alamgir, the ruling party is divided into two groups against the PTI.

The ruling party candidates will contest in the name of Hanif Awan group and Abid Raza group as independents rather than on the party’s election symbol of lion.

Published in Dawn October 4th, 2015

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