GUJRAT: Differences have emerged within the local Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) ranks in Wazirabad city over the award of party ticket to one Chaudhry Yousaf for the by-poll on PP-51 after a group of party workers protested against the decision.

PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry had to face an embarrassing situation when during his speech at a gathering in Wazirabad on Sunday, participants shouted slogans against the award of ticket to the newcomer, Yousaf.

The PP-51 constituency comprises Wazirabad city and its surrounding rural areas; the seat was vacated after the death of PML-N MPA Shaukat Manzoor Cheema in June.

Sources in the PTI said that the protesting workers belonged to the Shabbir Akram Cheema group, another aspirant for the party ticket who had contested the 2018 general elections as the PTI nominee on the same seat, but had lost to PML-N’s Cheema.

They added that the party was divided into rural and urban factions – the rural faction wanted the ticket for an aspirant belonging to the Jutt (Cheema) clan, while the other group was in favour of anyone from the city area. The latter had succeeded in getting a ticket for Yousaf, who belonged to the Arain clan of the city.

The rural group had also held a protest meeting in the native village of Shabbir Cheema a few days ago where they criticised the party leadership’s ticket awarding decision.

An insider said that senior politician Hamid Nasir Chattha’s scion, Ahmed Chattha, was an aspirant for the ticket earlier, but he decided to step back as the Chattha group had never won the seat.

His close aides had advised him to only contest on a National Assembly seat otherwise losing a provincial assembly seat might dent his position in an NA constituency in future elections.

Therefore, Ahmed decided to favour the PTI aspirant from the city area, which could strengthen his position there as he already enjoyed a good support in rural areas.

On the other hand, PML-N sources said that the party could decide its candidate for the by-poll at a meeting in Lahore on Sept 10. The widow of former MPA Shaukat Cheema and Imtiaz Azhar Bagri were said to be the frontrunners for the party nomination.

Former PPP MPA Ijaz Samman and Nasir Kalair of Jamaat-i-Islami were also in the running for the seat.

The election commission was yet to announce a schedule for the election.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2020