Anti-PPP electoral alliance eyes slot of chief minister

Nawaz expected in Karachi to finalise seat adjustment formula

KARACHI:

As political activity reaches fever pitch ahead of the February 8 general elections, Pakistan Muslim Leage-Nawaz (PML-N) founder Nawaz Sharif is expected to arrive in the metropolitan city to finalize a seats-adjustment formula with political allies, as per sources.

The PML-N is working on an electoral alliance with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazalur Rehman (JUI-F), and Awami National Party (ANP) to challenge the PPP in Sindh and get their chief minister elected, sources said, adding that the alliance has almost been formed and its formal launch is expected soon.

The alliance would be using the slogan of "Abolition of the System and Corruption is Necessary in Sindh" to wane voters away from the PPP. Sources suggest that "Abolition of the System" is an allusion to the organised corruption allegedly backed by the PPP in Sindh and its eradication is crucial for the province's progress.

The main players in the alliance, namely PML-N and MQM, are currently engaged in seat adjustment talks. The two parties had their first formal meeting when MQM Convenor Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui led a delegation to Lahore for formal talks with Nawaz Sharif earlier this month.

It was followed by a visit to the Bahadurabad Office of MQM-P by a PML-N delegation, led by Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Saad Rafique. The two parties formed committees to finalise seats adjustment in Sindh which have had two sessions ever since.

Read PML-N forging broad anti-PPP alliance in Sindh

As per details made available to The Express Tribune, the MQM-P would not have any seats adjustment in 18 National Assembly constituencies in Karachi, where the party believes to have strong voters support. However, in the rural areas of Karachi, the MQM-P will support the PML-N. The PML-N will receive support from the MQM-P in one provincial assembly seat in District East. However, the MQM-P will field a candidate in Baldia Town with the support of PML-N and have its candidates on all national and provincial seats in Central and Korangi districts.

Sources revealed that the MQM-P will support coalition candidates on National Assembly seats in Larkana, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Sukkur, Tando Allahyar, and Nawabshah. However, it will field its own candidates on three seats in Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Nawabshah, and Hyderabad, while one allied candidate will be fielded on one seat in Hyderabad. The MQM-P would not give up on its "traditional seats", while the coalition will field candidate from allied parties on some National Assembly constituencies, where the MQM-P received 20,000 to 50,000 votes in the past but still lost the election. The MQM-P and PML-N have almost finalized the consultation process and their central leaderships would soon announce formal launch of the electoral alliance.

 

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2023.