BADIN: In the aftermath of a big public gathering of Dr Zulfikar Ali Mirza and his spouse Dr Fahmida Mirza in Badin district, leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has informally announced its candidates from all the seven constituencies of the district.

Sharing details of the decision of the leadership, Badin PPP coordinator Gul Mohammad Jakhrani informed Dawn on Monday that Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, son of politician Mir Banda Ali Khan, and Basheer Ahmed Halepoto would contest the elections from NA-229 and NA-230 respectively. While Mohammad aka Dada Halepoto, Mir Allah Bux Talpur, Bibi Yasmin Shah, Qasim Siraj Soomro and Mohammad Ismail Rahu would be given the party tickets to contest elections from PS-70 Matli to PS-74 (Shaheed Fazil Rahu).

He claimed that the PPP leadership with the consent of party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had made that decision and there was little chance to change the nominees.

Mr Jakhrani said Faryal Talpur had also strictly directed other aspirants, including Syed Pappu Shah, Taj Mohammad Mallah, MNA Sardar Kamal Khan Chang, former MPA Mohammad Nawaz Chandio, Haji Sain Bux Jamali, Qazi Farooq Memon, former PPP MPA Pir Amjad Ali Siddiqi, a close relative of Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman, and others, to fully support the nominees of the party.

“The list is almost final and no change is expected,” he said, adding that the formal announcement would be made by the party chairman in the light of the recommendation of the broad constituted to allot party tickets.

Mr Jakhrani claimed that the PPP would inflict a heavy defeat on Dr Mirza and his aides in Badin district. All the proposed candidates had been asked to launch their drive from today (Tuesday), he said.

Meanwhile credible sources told this reporter that the wife of Senator Dr Sikander Mandhro, Dr Khalida Mandhro, would be given the party ticket on the reserved seat as, according to Ms Mandhro, her husband had a good number of votes of their community.

Basheer Ahmed Halepoto, member of the recently dissolved assembly from Matli, who was also elected thrice from the same constituency between 1985 and 1990, first as independent candidate and then on the PPP ticket, is likely to contest against Dr Fahmida Mirza who remained undefeated since 1996.

While Bibi Yasmin, former PML-Q senator, has been put up to fight elections against Barrister Hasnain Mirza on PS-72 (Tando Bago). She had defeated Syed Pappu Shah during the by-elections in 2011 when Dr Mirza had resigned after developing differences with the party leadership and then during the general elections in 2013, when Pappu Shah had contested the elections on the PML-F ticket.

Qasim Siraj Soomro from Umerkot district, a newcomer in the politics of Badin district, has been asked to contest from PS-73 (Badin).

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2018