RAWALPINDI, Sept 5: The People’s Party Parliamentarians are likely to withdraw their candidates in favour of some of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) heavyweights contesting for the national assembly seats in the city, sources said on Thursday.

The sources said the PML-N top brass had been in direct contact with the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto seeking withdrawal of her candidates against atleast three seats being contested by the PML-N top men in Rawalpindi district.

However, they said, for the time being serious consideration was being given to the withdrawal of PPP candidates from NA-54 and NA-56 from where PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq and the party’s vice-president Syed Zafar Ali Shah were contesting.

They said the most active role in this regard was being played by Zafar Ali Shah, who had infact started the rapprochement process between the two parties.

The PPP, it is believed, may not like to contest against the PML-N chairman as Mian Nawaz Sharif had withdrawn his nomination papers as a protest against Ms Bhutto’s disqualification from the elections.

The PML-N, sources say, in return will reciprocate this help by assisting the PPP on NA-55 seat from where Agha Riazul Islam is contesting on PPP ticket, while Sardar Tariq is the PML-N candidate.

Political pundits say that the common factor in both NA-55 and NA-56 is the former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who after being refused PML-N ticket is contesting as an independent candidate. They are of the view that the game plan prima facie appears to block Mr Ahmed’s chances of returning to the parliament for the sixth consecutive time in any way. However, they believe otherwise and assert that this is not going to work with the voters.

The PML-N that is already divided into Sheikh Rashid and Zafar Ali Shah camps in the city may get together under the former’s umbrella as a protest against the decision. Instead of diminishing Mr Ahmed’s chances, as planned by the conceivers of this formula, his prospects may get a boost.

Mr Ahmed is also enjoying the support of PML-Q that is widely dubbed as the king’s party.

The PPP voters in NA-54, sources believe, may also find it difficult to buy this adjustment formula as they had worked vigorously during the past few months to regain the seat, which they last won in 1988 with Raja Shahid Zafar returning to the parliament. Since then Ijazul Haq, who has recently formed his PML-Z, has been regularly winning.