MATIARI: In a major political development, the Makhdooms of Hala have revived their contacts with the Jamotes — who had been spearheading the anti-PPP forces in Matiari district for long — after four decades.

Makhdoom Saeeduzzaman Atif, the younger brother of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, visited Mohammad Ali Shah Jamote, a former Matiari district nazim who heads the local anti-PPP alliance, on Wednesday to seek his support in the January 18 by-poll for the NA-218 that fell vacant due to the demise of Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Nov 21.

While the last date for the filing of the nomination papers is Dec 11, the PPP has not yet finalised its candidate but reports say Mr Atif will eventually get the ticket. According to a Karachi-based senior PPP leader, “it’s the Makhdooms’ turf and only some Makh­doom must get the party ticket.” Makhdoom Atif, who was elected an MPA from Tharparkar in 1997, was offered unconditional support by Mr Jamote after the latter held consultation with the alliance. “It’s the beginning of the journey ... it’s in the larger interest of our area,” Mr Jamote told journalists.

People close to the Jamotes and the Makhdooms say, “ice seems to be melting. It’s the first formal political rapprochement between them after [M.A.] Shah’s father Zulfiqar Ali Shah Jamote lost to [Amin] Fahim’s father Makhdoom Mohammad Zaman Talibul Maula in the 1970 elections”. Jamote had later been elected Senator thrice — in 1970, 1985 and 1990 — with the then Pir Pagara’s blessings.

“Indeed, it is the first political contact between the two families after ‘70s when my father lost to his father in the [1970] general elections,” M.A. Shah Jamote told Dawn. He categorically rejected the view that he himself was considering joining the PPP at a later stage or somewhere before the 2018 general elections.

Insiders, however, confided to Dawn that Mr Jamote had already held a meeting with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari along with the party’s MNA from Sanghar, Roshan Junejo, a few months back though no decision was taken.

The Jamote-led alliance formed about two-and-a-half years ago suffered a humiliating defeat in the recently held local government elections in Matiari bagging only five of the 30 district council seats. It is in spite of the fact that the alliance had contested one on one for three NA and PA seats in the 2013 elections with its candidate, Abdul Razaq Memon, bagging 73,000-odd votes — said to be the highest ever — against Makh­doom Amin Fahim. M.A. Jamote had lost to Dr Makhdoom Rafik Zaman by 4,000 votes on PS-44.

Anti-PPP alliance’s future

Reports indicate that after a drubbing in the LG elections, the main alliance leaders, Raees Ali Ahmed Nizamani and Nazir Ahmed Rahu, are having second thoughts about their future allegiance. Rahu and Nizamani, once die-hard PPP acti­vists, ditched the Makhdooms in 2013 for a variety of reasons to make them politically uncomfortable, for the first time in Matiari’s history, along with the Jamotes and the Memons of the district.

Razaq Memon has already left the alliance due to differences with M.A Shah Jamote and had a solo flight in the LG polls.

It is learnt that Wednesday’s Jamote-Makhdoom meeting was facilitated by Ali Ahmed Nizamani. Mr Jamote was contacted by Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman by phone before the meeting materialised.

“Even otherwise, it doesn’t morally look nice to field a candidate against the Makhdooms after Amin Fahim’s demise although some friends within the alliance insist on contesting the seat,” said Mr Jamote.

However, another active alliance member said: “We are divided on the decision ... people like Nizamani and Rahu have lost interest in the upcoming by-poll given the fact that the PPP which is ruling over Sindh is in a position to make it a one-sided affair. So, they forced Jamote to take this decision”.

Elderly Ali Ahmed Nizamani, a childhood friend of Amin Fahim, is now in touch with Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman. But he rules out any possibility of his immediate rejoining of the PPP. “There is many a slip between the cup and the lip. My departure from the Makhdoom House was too difficult, and equally difficult is my re-entry,” is how Nizamani replied when asked whether he is going to befriend Makhdooms politically again.

Nizamani is quite disappointed over the way they had fallen prey to petty issues over local council seats in Matiari last month even after performing well in the 2013 polls. “We expected at least 12 seats but we are nowhere to it. It is basically due to the discipline issue and fight within group,” he observed privately.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2015