PPP Punjab wants to maintain separate poll identity

Will contest elections on 50 national and 30 provincial assembly seats

LAHORE:

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) should contest elections independently in Punjab on both the National Assembly and provincial assembly seats, parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza said, adding that seat adjustment should only be agreed on a few ones.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Murtaza said that the PPP Punjab would want to contest elections on 50 national and 30 provincial assembly seats.

He said that there were over two-dozen constituencies wherein PPP candidates lost, but did obtain close to 20,000 votes, adding, similarly there were almost four dozen National Assembly constituencies, where the party contestants obtained close to 50,000 votes.

He said that those seats were of much importance for the PPP to brighten its chances of forming a government at the Centre.

Murtaza maintained that the party may agree to seat adjustment on a few seats and suggested that the ground should be left open for the remaining seats. He said the central party leadership would take a final decision in this regard.

Asked whether PPP leadership had previously taken decisions contrary to the aspirations of the local leadership, Murtaza said that party would take Punjab chapter’s opinion into consideration and then take a decision.

He said previously the matter was limited to by-elections, noting that it was a different subject altogether.

A senior party leader on condition of anonymity said that central party leadership would take decisions keeping in view the overall political situation in the country.

He said the chances of a comprehensive seat adjustment cannot be ruled out, adding that PPP too would also benefit from an alliance.