LARKANA, May 7: An interesting contest among the PPP, PML-F and PML-N is expected to be witnessed in Jacobabad district where flood rehabilitation work and availability of potable water are the two major issues haunting the local populace.
The district had been dominated by the PPP for long but the alleged neglect on the part of government over the past five years has caused a dent to its popularity. Both PML-F and PML-N seem to be taking advantage of the neglect.
The only step towards executing a major development project in the area by the Sindh government was the launch of construction work for a hospital, that too in collaboration with the USAID.
Moreover, as in Larkana, PPP’s distribution of party tickets has created a cadre of disgruntled workers who are contesting as independent candidates against PPP nominees for three national assembly and six Sindh assembly seats, besides candidates of a few religious groups.
Candidates of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) are also in the fray but the real contest seems to be among PPP, PML-N and PML-F.
In the seventies, the area used to have only one national assembly constituency and used to be dominated by Jamalis and Bijaranis of Balochistan. In 1971, PPP’s Mir Darya Khan Khoso won on the national assembly seat when Z.A. Bhutto came here to lead his election campaign.
After that one more national assembly constituency was created for Jacobabad. In 1988 election, Sardar Muqeem Khan Khoso and Mehran Khan Bijarani won from these constituencies.
In 2005, former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim bifurcated Jacobabad district into two, giving birth to the Kandhkot-Kashmore district. Now there are three national assembly and six provincial assembly seats for Jacobabad district.
NA-208
Eighteen candidates, mostly independent, are in the fray for NA-208 (Jacobabad-I) which has 300 polling stations for around 257,664 registered voters.
Prominent candidates include Ahmed Ali Khoso of the PPP-Shaheed Bhutto, Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani pf the PPPP and former national assembly speaker Illahi Bakhsh Soomro of the PML-N.
The position of Illahi Bukhsh Soomro was strengthened by making the first move to settle down family disputes with former Sindh governor Muhammed Mian Soomro.
Ahmed Ali Khoso of the PPP-SB is also busy campaigning for this seat but analysts say he does not have enough political clout to seriously affect the popularity of PPP and PML-N candidates. The situation appears to be similar for MQM’s Muhammed Arif Brohi and PTI’s PTI’s Syed Ali Haider Zadi.
Hence, a neck to neck fight is expected to be between Illahi Bakhsh Soomro and Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani.
NA-209
Nine candidates are in the run for NA-209 (Jacobabad-II) which has 232 polling stations for 238,513 eligible registered voters.The strongest contenders are Mir Shabeer Ali Bijarani of the PPPP and Mir Hassan Khan Khoso of the PML-F.
A neck to neck fight was expected between both candidates. The position of Mir Hassan Khan Khoso was bolstered when Shafique Khoso lent him his unconditional support.
NA-210
For NA-210 (Jacobabad-III), 25 candidates are in the run but most of them are vote spoilers.
However, a tough fight is expected to be witnessed between PPPP’s Ihsanur Rehman Mazari and independent candidate Mir Galib Hussain Khan Domki, with Sardar Mir Hakim Ali Khan Sundrani of the PML-F also in the fray.
The PPP candidates enjoyed full support of former district nazim of Kashmor-Kandhkot, Saleem Jan Mazari.
His opponent, Mir Galib Hussain Domki, who was a provincial minister from PS-18 (Jacobabad-VI) on a PML-Q ticket couldn’t get a PPP ticket, he challenged Saleem Mazari for the seat.
PS-13
An uncle and nephew contesting against each other with 15 other candidates for PS-13 (Jacobabad-I) would make the contest interesting.
Mir Mumtaz Hussain Jakhrani of the PPPP would face his uncle Mir Ahmed Nawaz Jakhrani, alias Babul Khan Jakhrani (independent candidate), and an influential tribal chief Sardar Manzoor Ali Khan Panhwar famous for his just decisions in big jirgas contesting from a PML-N ticket.
After a visit from Ms Faryal Talpur to Jacobabad, Ghulam Mohammed Shahlyani announced to retire from the race in favour of nephew Mumtaz Hussain Jakhrani. Analysts expect the battle between uncle and nephew to be tough, however, in case the Jakhrani vote is divided, it would give an edge to tribal chief Sardar Manzoor Ali Panhwar. A host of other candidates are also in the fray for PS-13, which has 137 polling stations and 122,059 registered voters, but only to obey their parties’ decisions.
PS-14
A triangular fight is being predicted between PPP’s Sardar Muqeem Khoso and independent candidate Mir Raja Khan Jakhrani, with former PPP district president Aslam Abro also in the race as an independent candidate after being removed from the PPP’s Sindh council.A total of 31 candidates are contesting for PS-14 which has 163 polling stations with 135,605 registered voters.
PS-15
Nineteen candidates are contesting for PS-15 (Jacobabad-III) with two brothers running against each other from different parties.
Sardar Zulfikar Ali Sarki is contesting from a PML-F ticket against his brother Dr Suhab Sarki contesting on a PPPP ticket. Eid Muhammed of PPP-SB and Aneesur Rehman of MQM are also in the field but only to show their presence.
There are 143 polling stations in the area for 125,331 registered voters.
PS-16
Political analysts foresee a triangular fight between former federal minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani contesting on a PPPP ticket, Jahangir Banglani of the JUI-F and former DIG police Sardar Ali Akbar Bhangwar in the fray as an independent candidate.Contesting on a provincial assembly seat is in the former federal minister’s favour since he might be chosen for an important slot in Sindh. JUI-F’s Sardar Akbar Bhangwar also wields influence in the area.
A total of 18 candidates are in the fray for PS-16 which has 106 polling stations for 121,911 registered voters.
PS-17
Seventeen candidates are in the fray for PS-17 (Jacobabad-V) with 78 polling stations established for 128,103 registered voters. Among the contestants, competition would be between Raja Ghous Bakhsh Bijarani of the JUI-F and Sardar Abid Ali Sundrani of the PPPP. An independent candidate Asghar Chachar is also in the race.
PS-18
A tough contest is expected among Abdul Rauf Khoso of the PPPP, Dr Iqrar Jakhrani of the PML-F and independent candidate Mir Ghalib Hussain Khan Domki.
A total of 95 polling stations have been set up for 115,236 voters.