SAHIWAL: Former MNA Rana Tariq Javed has announced supporting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate Chaudhry Usman Ali in NA-142, Sahiwal-II. He was also a candidate for this seat.

The newly-formed alliance is set to impact the vote bank of Chaudhry Ashraf, PML-N candidate for the same constituency.

Ayeshya Arshad Lodhi, the daughter of PML-N leader Arshad Lodhi, and her husband Naveed Lodhi had also applied for PML-N tickets for NA-142 and PP-201. The party granted a ticket to her husband but denied it to her. In response, Ayesha decided to contest the election as an independent candidate. This will divide PML-N votes.

Also, Chaudhry Asif applied for a PTI ticket for NA-142, but due to his involvement in the May 9 incidents, his nomination papers were rejected. He succeeded in securing a PTI ticket for his nephew Usman Ali, a new entrant into Sahiwal politics, for NA-142.

Rana Amir Shahzad, former tehsil nazim and the brother of Rana Tariq Javed, was awarded a PTI ticket for NA-141.

The constituency is dominated by the Arain vote bank, as both Mr Ashraf and Mr Asif belong to the Arain Clan. To secure Arain votes for his brother in NA-141, Mr Javed withdrew his candidature as a candidate for NA-142 in favour of the PTI candidate.

To counter Ayesha Lodhi, Mr Asif fielded his hand-picked independent candidate, Mian Hussain Rammay from PP-201, where Ayesha’s husband is is PML-N candidate. Mr Ashraf is also supporting Mehr Irshad Kathia and Muhammad Yar Damra against Naveed Lodhi in PP-201. Both PML-N candidates are now indirectly supporting rivals, creating a situation that may benefit PTI candidates Usman Ali and Rana Amir Shahzad in NA-142 and NA-141.

Political observers say that Ayesha has not managed to secure Liaqat Lodhi’s support in Harappa and this could further benefit PTI candidates.

NA-142 and NA-141 have been PML-N strongholds in the last three elections, but the current internal divisions within the PML-N could shift the balance in favour of Farid Kathia of PPP and Rana Amir Shahzad of PTI in NA-142 and NA-141.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2024