BAHAWALPUR: At least 44 candidates from the PML-N, 35 from the PTI, five from the PPP and over 100 independent candidates are in the run for the local body elections in 47 municipal committee wards of Bahawalnagar city where 153,437 voters are registered.

The electioneering is at the peak as candidates are busy in a door-to-door campaign.

Though the PML-N and the PTI are the two main contestant parties, the biradari factor still plays an effective role.

The ruling party, despite being in a strong position, is facing problems as it has awarded tickets to close associates of party’s local office bearers while the loyalists have been ignored.

The loyalists, who have not been given party tickets despite having considerable vote bank, are contesting as independent candidates which will pose a serious threat to PML-N ticket holders.

The poor organization in Bahawalnagar is the main reason for the PTI that it has not emerged as effectively as in other parts of the province.

The PTI is mostly relying on raw political workers who have a little capacity to cash in on the popularity of the party. However, the PTI factor cannot be ruled out from local politics as its candidates are trying to derive benefit from differences in the ranks of the PML-N.

In spite of differences, the PML-N’s local leadership, headed by MPA Rana Abdul Rauf, is doing a door-to-door election campaign for the success of their candidates.

Mr Rauf has got elected his son unopposed from ward 18 while his son-in-law is contesting from ward 38 where a staunch PML-N family was denied party ticket by the MPA only to oblige his son-in-law.

Azam Khan, the son of former PML-N’s city president Rafique Khan, is contesting as an independent candidate, and is busy in campaigning himself as Sharif’s candidate due to his family’s prolong affiliation with the PML-N.

Mohiuddin, a PML-N’s youth wing office bearer, is also in the field as an independent candidate after he is not given a party ticket.

Meanwhile, an independent candidate, Khalid Javed Bhatti, has also been elected unopposed from ward 33.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2015

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