SAHIWAL: Although the local office of the Election Commission of Pakistan issued the final list of 13 candidates for the upcoming by-elections in PP-202 (Sahiwal-VII), the main contest will be between the candidates of the PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf as the PPP has decided to withdraw its nominee.

It is for the first time that the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has fielded its candidate - Umair Saleem Rizvi, a resident of 111/12-L, Tehsil Chichawatni, - in this constituency.

In another development, Pakistan People’s Party has decided to withdraw its candidate Muhammad Mansha following an understanding between the PML-N and PPP.Mansha had contested the 2018 general election on the PPP platform and secured 5,023 votes.

Many observers say that there will be a one-on-one fight between Nouman Ahmed Langrial (PML-N) and retired Maj Sarwar (PTI). They say TLP does not seem to be in a position to attract voters or affect any candidate.

It is learnt that many PTI leaders were opposing Sarwar’s candidature but finally Chaudhry Adil Saeed Gujar [major contender] accepted party’s high command decision.

Sources say this was not possible without the intervention of PTI Punjab president Dr. Yasmin Rashid and general secretary Mian Hammad Azhar and local party ‘heavyweight’ Rai Hasan Nawaz. They all announced the [party ticket] decision in a public gathering two days back.

PP-202 is the ancestral constituency of the Langrials and mostly it constitutes rural localities falling within Kasowal, Iqbalnagar, Okanwala Bangla and Shahkot.

During the 2018 bout, Nouman Langrial won seat on PTI platform by defeating PML-N’s Shahid Munir with a margin of 12,963 votes. Recently, Langrial was de-seated for voting in favour of PML-N in the chief minister election.

Last week, former minister Malik Nadeem Kamran visited the constituency and assured him of support from locals, including ex-district council chairman Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal, former ticket holder Shahid Munir and the Jaats of Chichawatni.

Sources say there were three strong contenders for PTI ticket - Adil Saeed Chaudhry, retired Maj Sarwar and Rai Hasan Nawaz’s son Rai Iqbal.

Rai Adil Saeed is a son of ex-MNA Chaudhry Saeed Gujar and his father was a strong supporter of PTI in the 2013 and 2018 elections. But on high command’s visits, all PTI groups are supporting Sarwar.

Rai Hasan Nawaz has confirmed to Dawn that Adil withdrew his candidature in favour of Sarwar. Some analysts say in case Adil contests as an independent candidate he has the potential to dent PTI vote bank more than anyone.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2022