LAHORE: Keeping its options open in case of an early poll, the Pakistan People’s Party has launched a hunt for potential candidates, particularly in Punjab which plays a pivotal role in deciding which party will rule the country.

PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari spent the last two weeks in Punjab capital, meeting not only the ticket-holders from the 2013 vote, but also the party’s organisations in each division of the province.

In this connection, Mr Zardari has so far met with the potential candidates and local leaders from Lahore, Sargodha and Faisalabad divisions. He will interview those seeking the party candidature from south Punjab divisions of Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur soon.

One of the participants in such a meeting, told Dawn that the ex-president asked them to get into election mode for the vote could be called sooner than expected in view of the country’s current political situation.

Some observers also see an indirect hint at the possibility of early polls in Mr Zardari’s reply at the residence of estranged PML-N Senator Sardar Zulfikar Khosa, when he was asked if he expected next elections to be held earlier than the schedule. Instead of a clear answer, he had said: “We wish to see the polls are held on its scheduled time.”

PPP Central information secretary Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, however, stresses that neither the party is desirous of nor it’s saying that the polls may be held early.

He says that Mr Zardari’s meetings are aimed at doing “homework” well before the election time to assess “where we’ve potential candidates and where we don’t”.

He argues that the process has been started “unusually” early because the party has to look for replacements in the constituencies where former candidates, like Nazar Gondal, have left it for “greener pastures”.

Central finance secretary Haider Zaman Qureshi, however, doesn’t rule out early polls when he comments that “situation here changes within no time”.

As the party doesn’t want to miss the train this time, it has decided to begin its election campaign well in time and that’s why both Mr Zardari and Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto are continuously holding meetings focusing Punjab, he adds.

The PPP seems divided or at least unclear about future electoral alliances.

Mr Ahmed denies (the party) having any plans to enter electoral partnerships, saying the PPP will rely only on its own cadre and support.

But, Mr Qureshi says “possible alliances” are also being discussed in internal meetings, though he declines to give details at this stage.

Claiming that both the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Khusheed Shah, and PPP Punjab leadership are working on the idea, he says even hopefuls for the party tickets have been asked to look out for “winning combinations” in their respective areas.

He says that each “democratic force” may be approached in a bid to give a tough time to the ruling PML-N and hands may be joined even with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, which so far seems to be in a mood for solo flight.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2017