Rifts in ruling party: Anjum Aqeel’s tacit support acts as swing vote for PTI

Disgruntled PML-N politician asked his followers to vote for Asad Umar instead of PML-N’s Ashraf Gujjar.

ISLAMABAD:

Internal differences within the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over selection of a candidate appeared to have dented the party’s chances at bagging the capital’s NA-48 seat.

Disgruntled PML-N politician Anjum Aqeel Khan, who lost the seat to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s (PTI) Javed Hashmi, asked his followers to vote for PTI’s Asad Umar instead of PML-N’s official candidate Ashraf Gujjar, sources close to the development revealed.

“Khan feared that his political career would be over if Gujjar wins the elections,” said a senior PML-N political worker from Islamabad.

Khan was hopeful of getting the party’s ticket for the by-elections but a controversy ensued and  Advocate Ashraf Gujjar, who was not strong candidate, came out as the party’s choice. Khan still tried to remain in the race until Prime Minister, and PML-N chief, Nawaz Sharif, intervened and ordered Khan to withdraw from the by-polls.

Sources in PML-N disclosed that PTI’s Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who won the election from NA-53 but was later disqualified over a fake degree, visited Khan’s house along with his brother Muhammad Siddique Khan, PTI’s Member Provincial Assembly from PP-7. The duo allegedly sought Khan’s support for their candidate on NA-48, as well as offering the controversial PML-N member to join PTI.

Khan’s grievances seemed to have boosted PTI’s chances in Islamabad’s rural areas---a traditional PML-N stronghold. Voter turnout at polling stations in the rural areas also appeared to be higher than the urban areas of NA-48. Voter mobilisation in Islamabad’s rural areas is mostly dependent on patronage-based political affiliations.

PTI’s political workers in rural areas such as Mehra Haqqu, a small village on the outskirts of the capital, said the differences within PML-N worked in their favour.

“The Jamaat-e-Islami was already supporting us and the PML-N’s infighting proved to be the icing on the cake for us,” a PTI political worker outside a polling station in Mehra Haqqu said.

Repeated attempts were made to contact Gujjar, however, he was not available for comments.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2013.