TAXILA: Though Taxila and Wah Cantonment have a strong religious vote bank, due to infighting and rifts, the religious parties have failed to field consensus candidates for the one national and two provincial assembly seats.

As a result, it seems that the religious vote bank will fail to play any decisive role in the upcoming general elections.

As the forthcoming elections are approaching, the religious groups, which have strong roots and influence among the people especially in the rural areas of the constituency, have failed to reach any seat adjustment agreement with other political parties.

It may be noted that in the past religious votes, especially under the banner of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), had played a key role in the elections.

But this year, grouping and rifts on award of tickets have left the religious parties undecided about nominating consensus candidates.

The victory of the MMA-backed candidate Prof Waqas Khan in the by-elections 2002 on the provincial assembly seat of PP-8 was the proof that religious circles had strong political influence in the area.

In 2008, the PML-Q candidates for NA-53 and PP-8 lost the elections as the religious votes went against them due to the Lal Masjid incident of 2007.

In the previous elections, there was only one candidate from the religious platform but now five candidates have joined the fray for the one national assembly seat.

They are Khawaja Mohammad Waqar Khan of the JI, Hakeem Mohammad Asad (JUI-F), Mohammad Sarwar of the Muttahida Deeni Mahaz (MDM), Pir Saeed Ahmed Naqashbandi (JUI-N) and Syed Hussain Gilani. Similarly, four candidates from as many religious groupings have locked horns for the PP-7 Taxila.

In the past, only one unanimous candidate from the religious parties had contested the elections.

Prominent among the candidates are Attiqur Rehman of the JI, Qazi Mohammad Haroon (JUI), Abdul Basit (MDM) and Syed Murad Shah Boukhari.

For the provincial assembly seat of PP-8 Wah Cantt, five candidates are in the run. Among them are Waqas Khan from JI, Safer Alam from JUI, Tariq Mehmood Qadri from Sunni Tehreek, Syed Hassnian Gilani and Mohammad Sarwar of the MDM.

Political observers said JUI-F, which had diehard supporters and an intact vote bank in the area, had not formally launched its electioneering and was focusing mainly on door-to-door campaign.

The JI also seems not as strong as it was in 2002 when in the by-elections it won the provincial assembly seat from Wah Cantt.

A JI central leader on the condition of anonymity said the JUI-F was the hurdle in revival of the MMA.

“They (JUI-F) considered themselves more powerful and underestimated others.

The JUI-F wanted an alliance only for its own interests and not for unification of the religious forces,” he said.

Interestingly, JUP held both the JUI-F and JI responsible for the failure.

A JUP office-bearer said both the parties were a hurdle in the revival of the alliance of religious forces.

He said his party had tried its best to convince them but to no avail.

The observers said the failure to form an electoral alliance or devise a seat adjustment formula by the religious groups would damage their vote bank and the benefit would go to major political parties.