In Lala Musa, the Kaira brothers are expected to win only because they served their area. PHOTO: AFP
In the NA-106 constituency in district Gujrat’s Lala Musa, a lot has changed in the last five years. In what was once the stronghold of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Bhutto brand no longer sells when it comes to the election campaign. Listening to the voice of the street, it is clear that unemployment, load-shedding and inflation have dampened the zeal of all but the most diehard jiyalas.
Unlike in other PPP strongholds, here you hardly see any posters of party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari or President Asif Ali Zardari. Only a small number of photographs of Benazir Bhutto were pasted outside the building of the party’s central election campaign office on main G-T Road, Lala Musa.
The Kaira factor
“All you see are PPP flags and photographs of the Kaira brothers,” said Chaudhry Nazir, who intends to vote for the Kairas thanks only to their personal contributions to the constituency. “I think the Kaira brothers have made genuine efforts for the constituency and Qamar Zaman Kaira is a good leader. It is a privilege for Lala Musa that his name was seriously considered for premiership last year, but luck did not favour him,” he said.
In fact, Qamar Zaman Kaira and his cousin, former provincial minister for finance Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, both seem to be avoiding drawing attention to their PPP connection. Instead, they are relying on their personal influence as well as the services they delivered in the constituency during their ten years as members of parliament. Their campaign relies more on going door-to-door, reminding people of their contributions to the area, such as gas connections, water supply, jobs and other development works.
The Sharif factor
In marked contrast, PML-N’s candidates are rigorously selling the Sharif brand in the constituency with the slogan of change and a “Roshan Pakistan”. Candidates of PML-N have focused their energies on using the influence of the Sharif brothers by putting up huge portraits of Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif around the city.
The rivals of the Kaira brothers, Chaudhry Jafar Iqbal and Chaudhry Ashraf of PML-N, candidates for national and provincial assemblies respectively, said that now the trend of campaigning on the basis of biradari (clans) or families is over and people are now mature enough to vote for a party which has a national agenda. That party, they say, is none other than the PML-N.
“It is clear that PPP candidates themselves now avoid using the name of their leader Asif Zardari due to his bad reputation,” Jafar maintained. He added that PPP has failed to hold a single meeting or bring any central leader in the constituency for campaigning.
“We have changed the style of campaigning and we ourselves go to the people and present the agenda of the party,” said Jafar. “Everyone knows that the PML-N under the leadership of Shahbaz Sharif has completely changed Punjab and now will change Pakistan if voted to power.”
In Kaira’s own words
Talking to The Express Tribune, Qamar Zaman Kaira said that he and his party had served this constituency more than any other politician. He expressed his concerns over the Lahore High Court’s order which bars President Asif Ali Zardari from being actively involved in party politics.
“This remains the main factor behind our national level campaign suffering a disadvantage,” he maintained.
Kaira claimed the PPP will surprise many in the upcoming elections, even though it was not given an equal chance. “PPP has always given surprises to its supporters,” he said.
Kaira admitted that some formerly diehard supporters of PPP have abandoned him this time around, but claimed that the Bhutto factor has always played a vital role in Lala Musa.
Guesses and predictions
The situation in Lal Musa seems to favour the Kaira brothers due to their contribution to the constituency and political experience. Locals think that the PML-N candidates, despite launching a rigorous campaign, are new in politics and cannot match the Kairas.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2013.
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It is absurd to say that Bhutto is not more relevant. He gave this nation a hope and made Pakistan invincible at the dint of his life. Bhutto’s heirs are still here and working according to ideology of the Bhuttoism. Until Pakistan exists no one can dim the light of Bhutto’s legacy. As compared to right wing parties, PPP did a lot. All the political parties except PPP are suffering from political myopia. A GT road leader can not change the fate of this country. He is just building castles in air and selling dreams. They are all dream merchants.
There are always good people in the wrong party
Kaira still holds upper hand mainly because PML-N vote would be divided between N-ticket holder Jaafar Iqbal and an independent N-leaning candidate Noor-ul-Hasan Shah. PTI too has a strong candidate in Afzal Hayat who is also ex-chief minister of Punjab. Its a four way contest which would mainly benefit Mr. Kaira. Apart from that I think he's a decent man perhaps one of the few PPP members who still have good reputation among general public.
“PPP has always given surprises to its supporters,” Indeed, they were shocked everyday during PPP's five years rule
@Raza:
I don't know how Kaira kept his relations with people of his constituency, but he is a decent man I am sure he never disconnects from people. But the assumption and projection of the proposition "Butto Brand Does Not Sell Anymore" is factually in correct.
Every word of this article is true and I am happy ET is giving courage to small area but
this is not true. when kaira was minister he never listened to common people in the area. his reign was full of nepotism. every single person is really angry at him. Kaira is even afraid to hold a Jalsa in city side and he is more looking at rural area where he wants to get vote on domestic gas issue.
and these rural area, I visited last week is full of less educated people. Their average education is middle and they are more concentrated on agriculture.
In last five year, because of many factors i.e. load shedding, fuel prices etc farmers are in really bad condition. I hope everyone is mature enough to remember what happened to them in last five years. and from meeting public when I visited NA106, I can say that "Pitcher" is taking the lead. P.S. please post this comment ET, there is nothing wrong in this comment.