GUJRAT: It was the day of changing political loyalties by the elected chairmen of the union councils as two of the PML-N members of the district council announced joining the PML-Q whose member quit the party as well as the slot of union council chairman and joined the PML-N on Monday.

PML Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi are lobbying for Begum Sameera Elahi, the joint candidate of the PML-Q and PTI for the top slot of the district council.

Similarly, the PML-N leadership, including Chaudhry Ahmad Saeed and other lawmakers, Abid Raza Kotla, Chaudhry Jaafar Iqbal, Hanif Awan, Nawabzada Tahirul Mulk and Haji Nasir Mehmood who got elected unopposed Mayor of Gujrat Municipal Corporation, has been lobbying for Tanvir Kotla, the party’s candidate for top slot of district council.

Two members of the district council, belonging to PML-N, Chaudhry Afzaal Akbar Chechi and his niece Sanam Rehman, elected on reserved seats for women, announced joining the PML-Q in the presence of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain.

The move is being termed a big blow to the ruling party’s campaign as some other members of the district council, who were elected as independent candidates but later joined the PML-N, are also likely to join the PML-Q on Tuesday (today).

On the other hand, the PML-N gained by winning over Safdar Mumtaz Sandhu, a UC chairman of the PML-Q, but he will not cast his vote in the election as he has announced resignation. He made the announcement at a gathering in Kot Mojjin in the presence of Chaudhry Ahmed Saeed and other leaders of the PML-N.

Mr Sandhu has been closely associated with the Chaudhrys for the last 30 years. He comes from an area which has been the part of the PP-110, a strong hold of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who has been winning the seat since 1985.

However, Mr Sandhu, in his speech, said there was a trust deficit between him and the PML-Q leaders for the last few months which had forced him to quit the party.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chaudhry Ahmed Saeed vowed to get a PML-N ticket for Sandhu to contest 2018 general election from PP-110.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2016