LARKANA, Sept 23: The electioneering appears to be gaining momentum in Larkana district with the approach of the polling date.

Some 27 candidates have filed nomination papers for the four National Assembly seats of the district.

Eight candidates are running from NA-207 (Larkana-I), which has been the traditional constituency of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. There are a total of 252,041 voters in the constituency. Benazir Bhutto has consistently been winning against the secretary general of the JUI (Sindh), Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro.

Benzir Bhutto’s nomination papers have been rejected while Dr Soomro is contesting under the MMA flag, drawing considerable support of the Sindh National Front chief, Mumtaz Ali Bhutto.

The PPP has fielded Shahid Bhutto, who is a close relative of Benazir Bhutto, against Dr Soomro.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has fielded one of its candidate for the first time from here. Ubedullah Lolai is contesting the National Assembly seat from the Muttahida’s platform along with the PPP-SB’s nominee Farooque Ali Khan Bhutto.

Arif Ali Jalbani is in the run from the PML-N platform but there are talks about him lending support to the PPP candidate, Shahid Bhutto.

The toughest of electoral fights on this seat would be between Shahid Bhutto of the PPP and Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro of the MMA.

Nine candidates are contesting the National Assembly seat of NA-205 (Larkana-II).

According to the election commission, there are 272,769 registered voters in this constituency.

The PPP has fielded a new face, Hizbullah Bughio, whose father Sardar Wahid Bakhsh Khan Bughio had been a provincial assembly member during the late Z A Bhutto’s tenure.

He is facing Haji Altaf Hussain Unnar, who is the district president of the PML-Q.

The PPP has been seen trying to bridge differences between the pro-PPP castes — the Bughios, the Sials and the Jatois — in the constituency.

Observers believe that they could give a tough time to the PML-Q’s Unnar if they shun their differences.

All other candidates are contesting as independent from this constituency but they have no real influence on the voters. They are either covering candidates or people who just want to see their name on the ballot paper.

There are just three contestants for the NA-206 (Larkana-III) seat. The total number of voters here is 275,346. This constituency is predominated by the Chandios, who are seen supporting the PPP candidate, Khalid Iqbal Memon.

The PPP nominee, who is also the president of the People’s Lawyers Forum (Larkana district), is facing only two opponents on this seat — Syed Asghar Ali Shah, who is jointly supported by the National Alliance and the Sindh Democratic Alliance and Fida Hussain Magsi of the PML-N.

Earlier, the resignation of Nawab Shabir Ahmed Chandio had shaken his tribe’s confidence. But they are now clearly seen favouring the PPP candidate.

Fida Hussain Magsi, who is a new entrant to the political arena, wields meagre support in the area.

There are seven contestants for the NA-204 (Larkana-I) seat. There are 275,703 eligible voters here.

The PPP’s district general secretary, Mohammed Anwar Bhutto, is contesting this seat against six rivals, including Riaz Kanasiro of the Muttahida, Naseem Akhtar Sahito of the National Alliance, Babu Sarfraz Jatoi, the district president of the PML-N, and Syed Peer Shah of the PML-Q.

Previously Begum Nusrat Bhutto had elected unopposed from this seat to the National Assembly. Anwar Bhutto has an edge over the other candidates.

Syed Peer Shah, a retired banker, had decided to contest the polls after joining the ranks of the PML-Q. He has only been able to garner the support of Altaf Hussain Unnar, the party’s district president.

Already the factions distanced by petty disputes, appear to have joined hands against the anti-PPP candidates and there are bright chances for the PPP candidate to emerge victorious.