BAHAWALPUR, Oct 9: With the completion of the election for the third phase of local bodies, electioneering for the remaining slots of deputy-district nazim and tehsil naib-nazims began in the district.

PML leadership has already nominated ex-MPA and PML district chief Syed Irfan Gardezi for deputy-district nazim slot. Irfan Gardezi is a cousin of MNA Syed Tasneem Nawaz Gardezi, who is Bahawalpur Ittehad chief being backed by the PML. The Sadiq Dost group, which lost the district nazim and all six tehsil nazim slots, is yet to field its candidate.

There are indications that the Sadiq Dost group will not allow Mr Gardezi to get elected unopposed, so it may nominate Sahibzada Umer Daud Abbasi, who lost against Tariq Cheema on Oct 6 or Mr Hassan Askari Sheikh.

In Bahawalpur City tehsil, the slot of naib-nazim is likely to go to an Urdu-speaking candidate from any of the total 21 UCs as Bahawalpur tehsil city nazim-elect Malik Zahid Mehmood Channar is Seriaki speaking belonging to PML-Q backed Bahawalpur Ittehad. There is also a considerable strength of Urdu-speaking naib-nazims in the city tehsil and district nazim-elect Tariq Cheema was under pressure from the Urdu- speaking UC naib nazims for accommodating one of them. Names of three Urdu-speaking aspirants— Saeed-ud-din, Liaquat Ali Shah and Sheikh Abdul Zaheer— have emerged for the candidature for the slot. On the other hand, Makhdum Sajjad Usmani may get nominated by the Sadiq Dost group. But, with the announcement of election schedule by the election commission, more candidates may surface for this slot.

Meanwhile, Saddar tehsil nazim-elect Shoiab-ud-din Owaisi who was market committee administrator, has resigned from the office to assume the tehsil nazim charge.