All is set for elections on 51 general seats of the Balochistan Assembly for which over 930 candidates are in the run. All mainstream as well as Baloch and Pakhtun nationalist parties have fielded candidates.

Four nationalist parties which had boycotted elections in 2008 are participating in elections this time. They are Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), National Party (NP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP).

The parties have fielded candidates keeping in view their vote banks in different areas. The PkMAP has not fielded candidates in Baloch-dominated areas and similarly Baloch nationalist parties have not fielded candidates in Pakhtun-dominated areas of the province.

In 2008 the PML-Q emerged as the leading party with 19 provincial assembly seats. The PPP won 13 seats, independents 12, JUI-F 10, Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) 7, Awami National Party (ANP) 3 and PML-N 1.

For elections 2013, there are many political heavyweights are in the run for provincial assembly seats.

Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai (PkMAP) is contesting from PB-3 (Quetta-III). The seat was won by Ismail Gujjar (PPP) in 2008.

Dr Abdul Malik Baloch (NP) is hopeful of winning PB-48 (Kech-I). The seat was won by Syed Ehsan Shah (BNP-A) in the previous elections.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal (BNP-M) is in the contest for PB 35 (Wadh-Khuzdar) and his challenger is Attaur Rehman Mengal, an independent candidate.

Sardar Sanaullah Zehri will defend his seat PB 33 (Khuzdar-I) on PML-N ticket.

Elected as an independent candidate in 2008, Sardar Aslam Bizenjo will defend his PB 34 (Khuzdar-IV) seat.

Asad Baloch (BNP-A) is running for PB 42 (Panjgur-I) from where he was declared winner in 2008.

Mir Sadique Umrani (PPP) is defending his seat PB 28 (Nasirabad-I).

Younis Mullazai (PPP) will defend his seat PB-4 (Quetta-IV) where his main challenger is Haji Lashkari Raisani (PML-N).

Saeed Ahmed Hashmi (PML-Q) is contesting election for PB 1 (Quetta-I) and his main challenger is Tahir Mehmood (PML-N).

Maulana Abdul Wasey (JUI-F) will defend his seat PB 22 (Qila Saifullah) and his challenger is Usman Kakar (PkMAP).

Abdul Khaliq Hazara (Hazara Democratic Party) is running for PB 2 (Quetta-II).

The former deputy chairman of Senate, Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali of the PML-N, is running for PB 25 (Jaffarabad-I) against Haider Ali Jamali and Mir Attaullah Buledi, an independent candidate.

Balochistan has always thrown up a split mandate and this time does not promise to be any different. Predictions are already being made of a coalition government in the province. According to political observers, no party will be able to win a working majority in the province.