GUJRAT: Raja Muhammad Asad Khan, MNA from Jhelum, has announced to contest the next election as an independent candidate rather than a nominee of the PPP, the party he had joined some two months ago along with his father Raja Muhammad Afzal and brother MNA Raja Muhammad Safdar Khan after ditching PML-N.

He made the announcement at a news conference in Jhelum on Tuesday.

Talking to Dawn by phone, Raja Asad said “since our family friends and voters have not supported our joining of PPP, I have decided to contest as an independent from NA 62 (Dina-Sohawa)”. He hoped that his father Raja Afzal would also accept his decision.

Raja Asad who currently held NA 63 (Jhelum-Pind Daden Khan), has surprisingly announced to contest from NA 62, the constituency that is currently being held by none other than his brother Raja Safdar. Although Raja Asad ruled out possibility of rejoining the PML-N, local analysts say that contesting as an independent and changing the constituency could later on pave the way for the Rajas entry into the PML-N.

Raja said that the PPP had not fulfilled the promises made to them for the provision of gas to Dina and Sohawa areas that was why he had decided to go independently.