OKARA: The powerful political families of Mian Manzoor Wattoo and the Gillanis of Hujra Shah Muqeem have become a challenge to each other after both of them parted ways with their political parties (PPP and PML-N, respectively) while they themselves have failed to strike a seat adjustment.

In this situation, the family of Manzoor Wattoo, especially in NA-144 having seats of PP-185 and PP-186, might push PML-N candidate Mian Moeen Khan Wattoo out because Raza Ali Gillani, a former PML-N leader, is also contesting election for NA-144 beside his original constituency of PP-184 and PP-185 where his family has been the winner since the non-party election of 1985. Gillani is bound to take his share of PML-N votes.

Raza Ali Gillani had deep political differences with Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, the PML-N candidate for NA-143 (having PP-184 and 187), and he (Gillani) refused to reconcile with Ajmal in spite of a meeting with Shahbaz Sharif. After his refusal to reconcile with Rao Ajmal and parting ways with the PML-N, the need for his seat adjustment with Manzoor Wattoo surfaced as Manzoor and Rao Ajmal have never had any political harmony.

The local political circles say Manzoor Wattoo had made an offer to Raza Ali Gillani for supporting him in PP-184 if, in return, Gillani withdraws nomination against his daughter, Rubina Shaheen Wattoo, in PP-185. If Gillani gives a free hand to Rubina Shaheen Wattoo, she can put up a good fight against the PML-N’s Chaudhry Iftikhar Husain Chhachhar.

Veteran politicians unable to make seat adjustment which can benefit both sides

Rubina is a strong candidate in PP-185 against Chhachhar in the current situation as Raza Ali Gillani is also a candidate at this seat and he may take PML-N votes.

At the time of filing of this story, Manzoor Wattoo’s offer is still there but Gillani is taking time to reach a decision.

Manzoor Wattoo, a strong candidate for NA-144, is contesting against the PML-N’s Mian Moeen Wattoo and Raza Ali Gillani. Manzoor has his son, Khurram Jahangir, as a candidate for PP-186 and his daughter Rubina in PP-185.

Manzoor has a healthy contest against Moeen Wattoo, who is also contesting for PP-186, while he has Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain Chhachhar as a party candidate for PP-185.

The PPP-parliamentarian has fielded its district secretary general, Malik Muhammad Shahzad Naul, as its candidate for NA-144 who has rather a symbolic candidature. Raza Ali Gillani is also a candidate for NA-144 constituency. In case Gillani does not withdraw his candidature, Manzoor naturally has an advantage to be a front-runner as the former is bound to take a share of the PML-N votes.

On the other side, Raza Ali Gillani is facing a strong challenge for the first time on PP-184 where Jugnu Mohsin has become an independent candidate and joined hands with Rao Ajmal. In NA-143, the PTI has fielded former MNA Syed Gulzar Sibtain as its candidate but in PP-184, it has not fielded any candidate and the situation favours Jugnu.

Meanwhile, former tehsil nazim Depalpur Syed Maratab Ali Kirmani, an independent candidate for PP-184, has withdrawn his nomination papers and declared support to Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan and Jugnu Mohsin (Syeda Mamnat Mohsin).

It seems the situation is getting out of control for Raza Gillani and if it persists, it will be a loss to him and an advantage to PML-N’s Rao Ajmal as his rival PTI candidate Syed Gulzar Sibtain has only one party candidate, Chaudhry Tariq Irshad Khan, for PP-187.

The PML-N candidate for PP-187, Malik Ali Abbas Khokhar, is also a strong candidate as his family has been the winner on this seat seven times out of the last eight elections since 1985.

It is important to mention that PML-N district president Syed Zahid Gillani, along with his family (the Gillanis of Depalpur city) had left the PML-N, and he is supporting PTI’s Syed Gulzar Sibtain in NA-143 and Chaudhry Tariq Irshad Khan in PP-187. Syed Zahid Gilani announced withdrawal of his candidature for PP-187 to favour PTI’s Tariq Irshad Khan.

Published in Dawn, July 07th, 2018