GUJRAT: The local political rivals of the PML-Q, mainly belonging to the PML-N, are feeling relieved due to the Chaudhrys decision to side with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the opposition’s no-confidence move against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On the other hand, the supporters of both the coalition partners (PTI and PML-Q) in Gujrat also express satisfaction over the Parvez Elahi’s move as they feel comfortable in going for another seat adjournment like the 2018 general elections.

Since the joint opposition started luring PTI coalition partners to dislodge Imran Khan’s government, local Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders felt they would be left out of electoral politics if the party leadership went ahead with seat adjustment with the Chaudhrys.

‘Extremely worried’ over the PML-N move to accept Parvez Elahi as the next chief minister of Punjab, the Nawabzada family, including former district council chairman Nawabzada Muzaffar Ali and his younger brother ex-MNA Nawabzada Ghazanfar Ali Gull, had reportedly told their supporters that such an arrangement would not be acceptable to them.

Electoral politics was at stake in case of seat adjustment with PML-Q

The Nawabzada family has been a traditional rival of the Chaudhrys in the local politics for the last five decades. They had earlier broken their four-decade long association with the PPP in 2012 when President Asif Ali Zardari included the PML-Q in the then coalition government.

Mr Gull told Dawn that the entire PML-N in Gujrat felt much relieved after Parvez lent support to the PTI. “The local party chapter and the Nawabzada family are thankful to the leadership for saving the party in Gujrat.”

On the other hand, the local cadres of the PML-Q in Gujrat also feel satisfied with the decision of the Chaudhrys to go with the PTI and most of them see a better position of the coalition partners in the upcoming elections since the parties have a sizeable support across the district.

Mian Imran Masood, information secretary of Punjab PML-Q, said the trust deficit was the main cause of not going with the PML-N. He said the Q’s decision was being widely appreciated by party workers and supporters.

Both the coalition partners had won 10 out of total 11 seats of the parliament in Gujrat district as a result of seat adjustment in 2018 -- the PML-Q won two NA and three PA seats in Gujrat tehsil whereas the PTI had won four PA seats and one NA seat in Kharian and Sara-i-Alamgir tehsils. The PML-N could win only one NA seat from Gujrat.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2022