VEHARI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), PML-N and PPP candidates are likely to be the leading candidates in NA-165 (Vehari-4) elections where 386,581 registered voters will elect their representative from nine candidates.

The PML-N has fielded former MNA Saeed Manais, PTI Aurangzaib Khichi and PPP former MNA Mahmood Hayat Tochi Khan. Also, former MPA Mian Majid Nawaz is in the run as an independent candidate.

In 2013, Mr Manais won the seat with 83,537 votes beating PTI`s Khichi and PPP’s Tochi Khan who got 80,971 and 19,514 votes. Mr Manais won the seat with the narrow margin of 2,566 votes and then he had the support of former MPA Mr Nawaz and the Arain clan. This time, the Arain clan is supporting Mr Nawaz which means Mr Manias has lost a good portion of his votes. This gives a mileage to the PTI candidate over the PML-N candidate. The PPP candidate was elected MNA first time in the 2008 elections. This time, Mr Khan is not running his electioneering effectively. Mr Nawaz was elected an MPA in the 2002 elections from PP-236 as a PML-Q candidate.

Provincial constituencies PP-235 and PP-236 fall under NA-165. For PP-235, 12 candidates are contesting the election. The PML-N has fielded former MPA Asif Saeed Manais (son of Saeed Manais), PTI Ali Raza Khakwani and PPP Ali Raza. Among the independent candidates, Ghazanfar Abbas Ghalvi is noteworthy. In the 2013 elections, Asif Manais was elected MPA as a PML-N candidate with 46,474 votes beating PTI’s Khakwani who got 29,223 votes. This time, the main contestants are PML-N and PTI candidates while Mr Ghalvi, who is contesting the election with the support of Mr Nawaz can also surprise the people.

For PP-236, 15 candidates are in the run. The PML-N has fielded former MNA Azhar Yousafzai, PPP Abdullah Hayat (son of Tochi Khan) and PTI former MPA Jahanzaib Khichi while Khaliq Nawaz Arain, nephew of Mr Nawaz, is an independent candidate. In the 2013 election, the PTI candidate was elected MPA with 37,020 votes while the runner-up was Mr Nawaz as a PML-N candidate with 31,354 votes.

Local PML-N workers are opposing Mr Yousufzai. He was elected MNA as a PPP candidate in the 2002 elections. He is contesting the election after a long absence from the constituency. Majority of PML-N leaders and activists are supporting Mr Nawaz.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2018