GUJRANWALA, Oct 13: Annoyed by the Pakistan People’s Party nomination of Lalla Asadullah Papa for by-poll in provincial assembly constituency PP-92, old party loyalist Arain Biradari (Mehrs) has pitched its own candidate after resolving longstanding internal disputes.

As the nomination papers of Muhammad Sarfraz Mehr were accepted by returning officer concerned after scrutiny as an independent candidate, the PPP finds itself in a difficult situation in the constituency that has a huge Arain vote bank.

The Arains have been staunch supporters of the party since its inception as a member of the Biradri, Haji Amanullah remained a federal minister in Zulfikar Ali Bhutho government and later his son Haji Ehsanullah won as city naib nazim.

A former MPA Mehr Muhammad Saleem was also from the Arain Biradari while his brother Sajid Naeem Hilako was a party office-bearer.

After the PPP leadership nominated Lalla Asadullah, also an old party worker and brother of former MPA Lalla Shakeel and party’s city president Lalla Idris, the elders of the Arain Biradri decided to field their own candidate for the by-poll.

The Biradari elders, including former MPA Chaudhry Shabbir Mehr, Chaudhry Tariq Ali, Chaudhry Babar Mehr, Chaudhry Ehsanullah, Mehr Khalid Mahmood and Chaudhry Azam Iqbal Mehr played a vital role in resolving mutual disputes among various clan members and bringing them on single platform -- City Ittehad Group.

According to sources, the Arains have launched a vigorous electoral campaign for Sarfraz Mehr and were contacting other politically influential groups in the constituency.

The sources said the PPP nominee, Lalla Asadullah, along with his supporters visited Sarfraz Mehr’s residence on Saturday and offered him the slot of party’s city president if he withdrew his candidature. The offer was rejected by Mehr, they added.

The PML-N has nominated Nawaz Chohan, younger brother of former MPA Muhammad Ashraf Chohan who has been disqualified by Supreme Court for having dual nationality, for the by-poll.

No other prominent party, including the PML-Q, Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, could field candidate in the constituency.

According to some observers of local electoral politics, the PPP might have to face tough time in the constituency mainly because of its disgruntled workers and parting of ways by Arain Biradari.