BAHAWALPUR, March 5: A large number of candidates filed their nomination papers on Friday to contest by-polls on 102 vacant seats of union council nazims, naib nazims, general and reserved seats of councillors , women and minorities in the Bahawalpur district.

The candidates filed nomination papers with their respective returning officers at the tehsil headquarters of Bahawalpur, Hasilpur, Ahmedpur East, Khairpur Tamewali and Yazman as Friday was thought to be the last day of filing nominations papers. However, an official announcement on Friday extended the last date up to March 8.

The total 102 vacant seats are included the slots of UC nazims (seven), naib nazims (two), Muslim general councillors (18), women general councillors (20) and kissan, workers and minorities (54).

The tehsil-wise break-up of vacant seats is: Bahawalpur (21), Hasilpur and Ahmedpur East (13 each) and Khairpur Tamewali (27).

The UC No 1 and 27 of the Bahawalpur city and four union councils of Ahmedpur East tehsil - Kulab, Kotla Musa Khan, Dhoorkote and Mudpeerwah are expected to be the hotly contested UCs in the district as some of the stalwarts had vacated them.

Now political heavyweights, including PML-N MPA Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar, PPP Parliamentarian leaders - Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Technology Makhdum Ali Hassan Gilani and Federal Parliamentary Secretary Malik Aamir Yar Warren, will directly influence in support of their candidates.

BY-POLLS: Ms Shahida, the wife of late federal minister Mian Abdul Sattar Laleka, is expected to get the PML-Q ticket to contest the by-polls for NA-190 (Chishtian-Harunabad) seat vacated after the death of her husband last month.

Dawn learnt that after the death of her husband Ms Shahida Laleka had stepped up her efforts for getting the party ticket on the vacant seat. In this connection, she succeeded to win over the favour of PML-Q stalwarts and some of the men in the government.

It was also learnt that she also attempted to contact prime minister Zafrullah Jamali in his respect. Some of the party insiders told Dawn that the PML-Q would make final decision within a day or two and the name of Ms Shahida was on the top of the list.

The Election Commission has already extended the last date for filing of the nomination papers. The MMA and PPP Parliamentarian will also field their candidates, though, both have not yet nominated their respective aspirants for this seat.

It is learnt that the MMA will repeat its candidate Mian Ihsan Bari, who in October 2002 elections, was defeated by late Mian Abdul Sattar Laleka and later had filed election petition against Laleka, which was being heard when Laleka died of heart failure.

In the last parliamentary elections, PPP's Sajjad Jathole was also defeated by late Mian Laleka, and he, too, filed election petition against the deceased.