Badin didn’t vote for Mirza, they simply voted against PPP

Disillusioned voters use democracy as revenge

BADIN: Contrary to popular belief, there is no feudal system in most parts of lower Sindh. The people are politically aware and support mainstream political parties or Sindhi nationalist parties. Though the caste system manifests itself in some forms, it is not as dominant as in the northern areas of the province.

In upper Sindh, political parties, especially the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) usually enlist the support of feudal lords such as the Mahers, Jatois or Chandios, through whom they claim the respective districts.

In the lower region, Thatta and Sujawal have remained a stronghold of the PPP, but it has been kept on its toes by the stiff competition presented by the Shirazi group.

This time, however, it was Badin - traditionally another stronghold of the PPP - which was snatched by the Mirza family, led by Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza. Despite the PPP's tall claims, Mirza's candidates defeated the PPP's dismayed but loyal contenders, some with a large margin.

Mirza conquers

On November 19, the day of the second phase of the local government elections in Sindh, the spotlight was on the urban areas of Badin, where Mirza's nominated candidates were contesting against the PPP. There was bad blood and plenty of mud-slinging all around as the PPP used all its mettle to woo the voters. This was not just about elections. It was the PPP fighting to save face.



Lawmakers, party stalwarts and loyalists tried their best to assuage the voters at the last minute. But it was not to be. Mirza swept the municipal committee (MC) Badin that has 14 wards. Not a single PPP candidate won from any of the wards. The PPP's district general secretary, a very influential person in the area, Dr Abdul Aziz Memon, lost in his home constituency.

Meanwhile, the PPP managed to secure 10 wards from the second MC, Matli, out of the total 12. The remaining were won by independent candidates.

Town and union committees

There are total 10 town committees (TC) in Badin district but the contest was only on seven as polls were postponed on the others. Mirza's candidates secured four of the TCs, including Tando Bago, Golarchi, Pangrio and Nindo Shehar while PPP managed to win from Khoski, Kadhan and Rajo Khanani.

There are also 68 union councils (UCs) in the district, 65 of which were being contested on Thursday.

Mirza won on 33 UCs, while the PPP managed to secure 28. Three independent candidates also won, who later joined the PPP. The result on one UC is withheld.

Mirza has not only swept the urban, but also the rural areas of Badin district. He is in a position to nominate the district chairman and chairman on one MC and four TCs.

For the PPP, it may be time to rethink its strategy as this is the first time it has lost in Badin district. The opponent wasn't a mainstream political party, but a person without any sound manifesto or a programme for the people of district. The people of Badin did not vote for Dr Zulfiqar Mirza. They simply chose not to vote for the PPP.

Why the change in allegiance?

"The PPP leaders treated Badin's voters like servants," said Farhan Memon, a charged participant in a victory rally after the results were announced. "Mirza lives with us and always listens to our issues," he justified.

Over the last few years, the people of Badin have been growing agitated with the indifferent attitude of the local PPP leadership. "The PPP has ignored us so much this time, we decided to return the favour," said Memon.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^th, 2015.