KARACHI, Jan 8: The election commission will set up 185 polling stations and 411 booths in the NA-242, Karachi-IV Orangi Town, constituency for the by-election on Wednesday.

The constituency has 221,227 registered voters, with 127,639 men and 93,588 women.

Rauf Siddiqui of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who was declared successful in the general elections by securing 49,235 votes, vacated the NA-242 seat to retain his Sindh Assembly seat.

According to the election commission, Abdul Qadeer Khanzada of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Merajul Huda Siddiqui of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Rujhanullah Khan of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, Dr Hanif Khan of the Awami National Party, Dr Qadeer Ahmed of the Sunni Tehreek’s and an independent candidate, Shahabuddin, would contest for the seat.

The polling would begin at 8am and end at 5pm.

Though it was a traditional seat of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the political analyst were predicting an unexpected result in the by-election.

The constituency had many pockets of various ethnic groups and would clearly support religious parties and various influential people of the area had already pledged support to the MMA during public meetings.

The MQM was confident of clinching the seat again, as according to it after joining the government operations against its rivals Mohajir Qaumi Movement and appointment of its provincial governor had increased its popularity manifold.

However, if the PPP or any other political party made an alliance with the MMA, it could give a tough time to the MQM’s candidate.—PPI