BAHAWALPUR, Aug 22: The campaign for the by-election in NA-184 (Bahawalpur-II) is continuing despite the fact that floods have played havoc in most parts of the southern Punjab. The polling is scheduled on Aug 25.

Although a total of 13 candidates are in the run, the real battle for the seat will be held among Sardar Aamir Yar Warren (PPP's controversial degree fame ex-MNA), Mian Najeeb-ud-Owaisi (PML-N), Sardar Khalid Warren (PML-Q) and Rao Javed Iqbal, an activist of a banned outfit and a joint candidate of religious parties.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had himself visited Bahawalpur the other day to extend support to his party's candidate Sardar Aamir Yar Warren and announced Rs1 billion for providing gas to several rural areas of the constituency.

Opposition circles across the country have bitterly criticized the prime minister's pre-poll rigging by inaugurating a billion-rupee project in the constituency.

PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also addressed a public meeting in NA-184 constituency for his candidate Khalid Warren while the Sharifs kept its candidate Najeeb Owaisi at arms length and did not turn up.

However, Shahbaz Sharif's senior cabinet member Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa visited here on Sunday to review the election campaign of Najeeb Qwaisi at a meeting with PML leaders.

PPP nominee Sardar Aamir Yar Warren, which has the backing from the federal government, has an edge over PML-N's candidate Owaisi.

In the 2008 elections, being a PML-Q candidate, Najeeb Owaisi was supported by Sardar Khalid Warren, who is now himself a candidate. It will be quite difficult for Owaisi to retain his second position in the election as Aamir Warren is expected to keep his PML-Q vote bank intact. 

Rao Javed Iqbal, who is fielded by religious parties, will mostly get votes of Sunni and other sects around Hatheji village.—Correspondent