FAISALABAD, Feb 15: There will be a triangular competition in most constituencies of the district while a few constituencies will witness one-on-one or quadruple fight.

Faisalabad is home to 11 National Assembly (NA) and 22 Provincial Assembly seats. Two consistencies NA-75 and NA-78 are set to witness a one-on-one competition while two constituencies NA-76 and NA-79 will see a quadruple contest.

A tough competition is expected between former MNA Ghulam Rasool Sahi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Tariq Mehmood Bajwa are in the field to win NA-75. The PML-N supports the PPP here to outclass Mr Sahi. But Mr Sahi has an edge over his rival because of governmental protocol accorded to his brother, Punjab Assembly Speaker Afzal Sahi.

The situation is very difficult for the PML-Q in NA-76 where former federal minister Wasi Zafar after being refused PML-Q ticket is contesting as independent candidate. The PML-Q fielded former district nazim Zahid Nazir. A fierce electioneering by the other two candidates — Nawab Sheer Waseer (PPP) and Rai Salahhudin (PML-N) — makes the results of the constituency unpredictable.

Nothing can be said about the results of NA-77 where Asim Nazir of the PML-Q, Talal Chaudhry of the PML-N and Sajjad Ahmed Awan of the PPP are trying to outdo each other in the poll. According to analysts, the PML-N candidate is giving sleepless nights to Mr Nazir, whose family has been ruling the area since decades.

Rahila Baloch of the PPP is contesting against PML-Q’s Rajab Ali Baloch for NA-78. PML-N candidate Peerzada Mohammad Ashraf retired in favour of the PML-Q candidate. Ms Rahila, even though a first-timer, has done well in electioneering and stands equal chances of winning the polls.

Four candidates are striving to grab NA-79 and the aspirants are: Hammad Mohammad (PPP), Safdar Rehman (PML-N), Safdar Shakir (PML-Q) and Rana Farooq Saeed (independent). The PPP withdrew its ticket from Mr Saeed to Hammad who is a first-timer. The remaining candidates contested last elections from the same constituency. All the candidates are trying their best to gather support of electorates.

Former MNA Rana Asif Tauseef (PML-Q), Mian Tariq Habib (PPP) and Qasim Farooq (PML-N) will vie for NA-80. In the last general elections Mr Asif was a PML-N nominee but after winning the seat, he switched his loyalties to the PML-Q. From this constituency the lead contenders are: Mr Asif and Mr Habib.

NA-81 also signifies because of its PML-Q candidate Dr Nisar Ahmed who stood winner from this constituency in 2002 elections from the PPP platform. Now, he is in the face of PPP’s Saeed Iqbal and PML-N’s Nisar Akbar. PML-Q and PPP candidates make the competition fierce.

For NA-82, Sahibzada Fazal Karim (PML-N), Aized Mehmood (PPP) and Rana Zahid Mehmood (PML-Q) are in the run. Here PML-N or PPP candidate is likely to snatch the winning slot.

Mushtaq Ali Cheema (PML-Q) is contesting for NA-83 against PPP’s Ijaz Ahmed Virk and PML-N’s Mian Mannan Ahmed. Here a close contest is expected between Mr Cheema and Mr Virk.

In NA-84, Abid Sher Ali (PML-N), Mehr Abdul Rasheed (PPP) and Rana Zahid Mehmood (PML-Q) are contesting from here. Mr Abid is considered a strong candidate. Mr Abid stands sure chances of winning the seat.

The Ansari clan is contesting for NA-85 as the PPP, the PML-N and the PML-Q fielded candidates from this biradri. Haji Mohammad Akram Ansari has been fielded by the PML-N, Bilal Noor Ansari the PML-Q and Shakeel Ansari the PPP.