OKARA: Three groups are in the run to win nomination for the top district council slot.

The district council house consists of 165 members.

PML-N MNA Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan is trying to get his son, Barrister Rao Saad Ajmal, nominated for the district council chairman office. MNA Chaudhry Riazul Haq Juj is supporting him.

Similarly, Muhammad Ali Gilani, the younger brother of provincial minister Syed Raza Ali Gilani, is also in the race. Though the family has been accommodated in the cabinet, they are still trying to get the nomination, using their personal contacts with the Sharif family.

The third group, consisting of MNAs Ashiq Kirmani and Moeen Wattoo, provincial minister Mian Yawar Zaman, MPAs Mian Muhammad Munir, Chaudhry Javed Allaudin, Malik Ali Abbas Khokhar and Rai Samina Noor Kharal, all led by MNA Chaudhry Nadeem Abbas Rubera, is supporting Malik Ali Qadir for the top slot.

Rao Ajmal has the support of 44 members, Rubera 50 to 60, Gilanis 10 whereas Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the PPP have 20 and 19 members.

The PPP, led by Manzoor Wattoo and PTI, by Chaudhry Tariq Irshad Khan, have not decided to field their own candidates or support any group.

The PPP may support the Gilanis to defeat Rao Ajmal’s son. Since July 1982, when Okara was elevated to district, Dipalpur tehsil has held the district council slot for six times. Syed Sajjad Haider Kirmani, of tehsil Renal Khurd, is the only chairman outside Dipalpur.

The three groups have presented their vote position to the party leadership and a parliamentary board, consisting of provincial minister Manshaullah Butt, Samiullah Khan and Saud Majeed, will take the final decision in three days.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2016