MULTAN: Pakistan Peoples Party’s south Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmad Mehmood says by-election results cannot be used to predict the future political scenario.

Talking to Dawn by phone on Tuesday, he said: “the situation in coming general election will not be like the Lodhran by-election. Measuring the graph of any party on the basis of Monday’s outcome will not be appropriate. It was a local level competition and has nothing to do with politics at the national level.”

He said that politics was a day-to-day affair and the PPP would be a major political force in the general election.

He said even the position of PML-N would be different in general election as it could not use government machinery. He said credit to Lodhran election went to Abdul Rehman Kanju and his Shaheed Kanju Group.Mehmood said that PPP position in Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan and Layyah was strong.

“We are weak in Lodhran and Dera Ghazi Khan where the political platforms are unique. We are fully aware of the situation and are devising strategies at the district level.”

Sources said Mr Mehmood had opposed the idea of fielding party candidate in the NA-154 by-election. However the party ticket was awarded to Mizra Muhammad Ali Baig after his father Mirza Nasir Baig held a meeting with PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

They said that Mr Mehmood was of the view that party’s organizational structure in Lodhran was weak and fielding party candidate would not be an appropriate decision right now.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2018