KASUR, Dec 12: The existing political scenario in the Kasur district may take a U-turn should the three political stalwarts in as many constituencies decide to play their trump cards.

In NA-140 constituency, former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri is in hot water owing to the indifferent attitude of the PML-Q ticket holder for PP-179, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, the former parliamentary secretary who has a strong vote bank.

Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan while inaugurating an election office at Khudian a few days back had stunned both his supporters and opponents when he announced that he was canvassing only for himself and not for Khurshid Kasuri or Hassan Akhtar Mokal.

During his corner meetings in Dholan and Fatehpur, Mr Malik claimed that his support had played a decisive role in the success of Mr Kasuri in the last general elections when they were shipping together.

Political pundits say that Mr Kasuri should shun his differences with Mr Malik to avoid imminent political debacle.

They further hold the opinion that independent candidate Chaudhry Shabbir Ahmed, whom Mr Kasuri is considering an alternative to Mr Malik, may fetch a few thousand votes of the Arain biradari, which is already divided between him and Sardar Muhammad Hussain Dogar of the PPP.

It is most likely that Mr Kasuri would get Mr Dogar’s favour, but he will prove only a broken reed for him as his party will never allow Mr Dogar to vote against former foreign minister Assef Ahmed Ali, contesting from the same constituency.

However, Mr Kasuri has a successful stroke in PP-180 where he has won over Javid Ashiq Dogar, a turncoat from the PPP and son of the late Ashiq Dogar who had been elected MPA on the PPP platform for three consecutive terms.

Political analysts are of the view that Javid Dogar cannot snatch the ideological vote of the PPP.

A tough competition is expected between the PML-Q and the PML-N in the NA-141 constituency which is covering areas, including Pattoki, Chhanga Manga, Chunian and Habibabad. Chaudhry Noor Hassan of the PPP, whose nomination papers were rejected on account of his fake degree, can turn the table in this constituency.

Mr Hassan, who has a vote bank of about 10,000, is likely to support PML-N candidate Rana Muhammad Ishaq, the former Pattoki tehsil nazim, instead of PPP ticket holder Abdul Shakoor merely to avenge PML-Q candidate Asif Nakai who had challenged his BA degree.

In the last general elections, Mr Nakai had won the MNA slot by defeating Rana Ishaq by a massive margin of more than 10,000 votes.

The fate of PPP candidate and former MPA Syed Muzzafar Hussain Kazmi in NA-139 is also hanging in the balance. His opponent Muhammad Ashfaq Kamboo (ind) has got the support of former MNA Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed who failed to convince PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto to award ticket to Mr Kamboo.

This rift has left the field open to Syeda Nelofer Mehdi of the PML-Q and Shaikh Waseem of the PML-N.