SANGHAR, Aug 19: Spirited electioneering going on in Achhro Thar — which broadly covers NA-235 Sanghar-II constituency — has reached its climax with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) — the two main rivals in the contest — struggling hard to score a crucial victory over each other in what is being seen as a neck-and-neck fight on Thursday.

The seat fell vacant after PML-F candidate Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi surrendered this seat to retain his NA-216 Khairpur seat.

Logically the majority vote in the NA-235 constituency should again go to the PML-F candidate, Khuda Bux Dars who has also been elected taluka nazim twice in the past, but the situation seems to have considerably changed since the May 11 general elections due to the political maneuvering by heavyweights within the contesting parties a couple of whom also appeared to be spiritual leaders of their respective voters.

The Achhro Thar vote bank is mainly divided between disciples of Pir Pagara — who heads the Hur Jamat and the PML-F — and those of Pir Noor Mohammad Shah Jilani — a PPP MNA who heads the Jilani Jamat. Although the followers of the two spiritual leaders have generally cordial relationship, they obey their respective spiritual leader when it comes to voting.

The PML-F would have otherwise easily retained the seat but PML-F leadership is faced with a controversy over its choice for the seat — K.B. Dars — whose party colleagues even enforced a shutdown in Khipro city to publicly express their annoyance over the decision. The PPP has fielded its same candidate — Shazia Atta Marri — one of its strongest candidates who has become an experienced lawmaker but previously lost to Pir Rashdi.

Pir Jilani, who has a big following in the Chachar, Arisar, Mangrio, Saman and Rajpar communities, has also asked his disciples to vote for her in the by-election. His disciples, 4,000 of whom believed to be eligible voters, have been supporting PML-F candidates in elections in the past.

Speaking to Dawn by phone, Pir Jilani said that it was the first time he had asked his disciples to vote for the PPP in by-election.

Observers say the enthusiasm being shown by people of the area these days is even greater than what was witnessed in the May 11 general elections.

People living mostly in coned-shaped thatched houses across Jam Nawaz Ali and Khipro talukas and four union councils of Sindhri taluka of Mirpurkhas district were attending corner meetings and political events in large numbers and showing a keen interest in the contest which, they believe, would be a tough fight between Mr Dars and Ms Marri.

The vote bank of the Thakur community in the constituency could also not be underestimated.

Comprising scheduled caste Hindus, the community head by Rana Hameer Singh is likely to vote for the PPP to follow his decision and advice. Mostly peasants, the community has 3,000 eligible voters. However, the community’s vote could be divided at an unpredictable percentage with Sujjan Singh, a prominent figure in the Thakur community in Achhro Thar favours the PML-F. He told Dawn that his supporters would again vote for Mr Dars.

There are reports of a debate within a section of the community over voters’ abstaining from the by-election polling in the Achhro Thar area. No such decision has been announced by any Thakur community leader so far.

A candidate having support of the Hur Jamat has never lost at any polling station to his rival in the area, except for the 1988 general election when PPP candidate Sohrab Khan Marri won at a couple of them.

However, Shazia Marri this time has been campaigning proactively making the contest interesting. She held two big public gatherings, one in Malook Jo Tarr and Jesaro in Achro Thar, and apparently succeeded in drumming up support within the Thakur community as well as the Jilani Jamat.

On the other hand, K.B. Dars addressed several corner meetings in Achhro Thar and managed to remove misgiving about him among PML-F cadre and the Hur Jamat, besides ensuring continued support of the Sujjan Singh group.

The Election Commission has set up 16 polling stations in Achhro Thar where over 15,000 registered voters are expected to exercise their right to franchise.