Preparations: Over 6,000 candidates join the LG fray in Swat

Candidates go door-to-door to persuade voters

MINGORA: Over 6,000 candidates have filed nomination papers for 212 seats for the local government elections in Swat district.

According to the district’s election commission office, 6,264 candidates have submitted their nomination papers. Of the total, 452 candidates have filed nomination papers for district councils, 435 for tehsil councils, 2,566 for general councils, 403 for seats for women, 926 for peasants and workers, 909 for youth and 26 have applied for the seats for minorities.

Streets and roads in the districts are crowded with workers from various political parties, campaigning for their respective candidates. Rallies are also being taken out in major towns where workers are moving in groups from area to area, convincing people to vote for their parties, in the 65 union councils of the seven tehsils of the district.

“There is enthusiasm among the people, the youth in particular, who are taking a keen interest in the elections,” a political analyst in Swat, Abdul Rauf, told The Express Tribune. “Their rallies throughout the day are worth seeing; with so much enthusiasm and of course loud music,” he added. “This is the beauty of a democratic system that allows everyone to take part in the polls.”

The number of candidates for the LG elections, said Rauf, is high this time which is encouraging. Door-to-door visits are made by candidates even before the names of those contesting are finalised.

“Candidates are visiting us, promising to be available all the time if they are elected,” said a resident of Landeykas, adding he promised his vote to all those who came to convince him.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2015.