BAHAWALPUR, Dec 15: Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi, who has been elected to the National Assembly no less than five times, will vehemently oppose the candidature of Syed Tasneem Nawaz Gardezi, who is contesting the by-election on NA-187 (Bahawalpur-V) on a PML-Q ticket.

Although a candidate of the ruling party, former minister Mr Gardezi also faces the opposition of MNAs Farooq Azam Malik, Syed Ali Gilani and Mian Riaz Hussain Peerzada and MPA Malik Mohammad Iqbal Channar of the PML-N.

Nawab Abbasi, who is himself disqualified from election due to the graduation condition, had in October elections favoured a number of candidates including Syed Ali Gilani, Malik Farooq Azam Malik, Malik Iqbal Channar and was able to secure a majority of Seraiki votes for them, which resulted in the victory of the candidates of his choice.

In the by-election, the candidate favoured by him, Saud Majeed Chaudhry, has not been able to get the PML-Q ticket and is contesting as an independent.

Therefore, instead of supporting Mr Majeed, the Nawab is expected to support Umar Farooq, who is the son of MNA Farooq Azam Malik.

He is opposing Mr Gardezi to avenge his defeat of Aug 2001, when he lost the election for the slot of district Nazim to Tariq Cheema who was supported by Mr Gardezi.

MNA Mian Riaz Hussain Peerzada will also lend support to Nawab Abbasi against Mr Gardezi. He defeated Mr Gardezi in his own constituency (NA-186) on October 10.

Meanwhile, Mr Gardezi is mainly depending on the support of district Nazim Tariq Cheema, who belongs to the PPP. Mr Gardezi will be in a difficult position if Mr Cheema remains aloof, as the PPP is also bent upon fielding its own candidate.

Two main PPP leaders Mohammad Afzal Sindhu and Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal have filed their nomination papers. It will be difficult for the party to ignore a leader like Mr Sindhu, who is well known in Yazman Tehsil as well.