Re-poll at PS-59: Close contest between old rivals in Badin today

PML-N candidate, with Zulfiqar Mirza's aid, expected to give PPP’s de-seated Chandio a tough time

HYDERABAD: A tough electoral battle is expected on Tuesday (today) as voters of PS-59 constituency in Badin will cast the ballot at 37 polling stations after the Hyderabad election tribunal's order for a re-poll last year.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Ismail Rahu, with the support of former Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, hopes to spoil the chances of a comeback by PPP's Muhammad Nawaz Chandio, whose Sindh Assembly membership was suspended by the tribunal over rigging charges in April 2015. The results of the other 83 polling stations where voting took place in the May 2013 general elections were accepted by both Chandio and Rahu, who is also PML-N's Sindh chapter president. As per the count of the total 120 polling stations, Rahu received 36,966 votes while Chandio secured 38,315.

Following the elections, Rahu had challenged Chandio's victory in the tribunal, citing irregularities and fake voter entries. The tribunal had ruled in Rahu's favour, with the Supreme Court upholding the verdict after Chandio had challenged it. The apex court too had ordered re-polling at 37 polling stations, where thousands of fake votes had been identified through NADRA verification.

After the cancellation of results of 37 polling stations, Rahu now has a lead of 6,113 votes over Chandio.

'Stolen mandate'

According to reports, Chandio hurled accusations at Returning Officer (RO) Abdul Zubair Khan during a meeting at Badin Gymkhana on Monday, alleging that election staff is being changed. The RO reportedly vowed to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against Chandio.

Talking to the media in Badin, Rahu alleged that the Sindh government has tasked election staff and policemen with rigging the polls in Chandio's favour. " My mandate was stolen in 2013 [general elections]," he claimed.

In a statement, Mirza, who defeated PPP in the elections of several local councils in Badin recently, warned of severe consequences if the polls are rigged.

"Chandio won in 2013 because we supported him," said Mirza, adding that now the tides have turned.

Chandio denies the accusations, saying "The people of Badin have always voted for Bhutto, they vote for the PPP."

Provincial minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro, MNA Gyan Chand Esrani, former provincial minister Haji Usman Malkani and former senator Yasmeen Shah, among other influential figures, are in the area to secure Chandio's win.

All set

Of the 37 polling stations, 21 are located in Shaheed Fazil Rahu taluka and the rest in neighbouring Tando Muhammad Khan district.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Provincial Election Commissioner, Sindh said all arrangements have been completed for the re-poll. In addition to deployment of police, Rangers have also been called in to maintain security, he added.

On the direction of senior ECP officials, five monitoring teams comprising district election commissioners of various districts of Sindh along with other senior officials have been deputed to monitor pre-poll, poll-day and post-poll activities, the statement said further. Most of the constituency falls under the National Assembly seat of Dr Fahmida Mirza, wife of Zulfiqar Mirza. Both Rahu and Chandio have won the seat twice each, with the former and his sister being defeated by Chandio for both his earlier wins.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2016.