PTI mulls alliance with 'likeminded

LAHORE - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf keeping in view partys current organisational set up across the country and number of winning candidates on its side, is planning to make preparations for contesting the next polls under an electoral alliance of likeminded political forces, besides the option of seat-adjustment, TheNation has learnt. Inner circle members of PTI told this scribe on Sunday that party leadership had earlier planned to take a 'solo flight in the general elections, however anticipating the possibilities of snap polls and partys preparedness in this case, several PTI leaders were of the view to make preparations for the elections with the options of electoral coalition with likeminded political forces and seat-adjustment. Umer Cheema, central spokesman of PTI when contacted said that seat-adjustments could be made in the general elections. He, while calling the PTI as the third option maintained that likeminded political forces could become partners of his party in the next polls keeping in view the importance of the party. The sources told that close aides of party chief have changed their opinion for taking a solo flight, especially after partys recent public moot in Southern Punjabs city of Multan, which became a success story with the silent support of sidelined and rebel ranks of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). They said, though the party has organisational set up in 26 districts of Punjab, which include the important districts of South Punjab including Multan, while recently former parliamentarians from across the province have joined the PTI. However, they added that PTI doesnt qualify the needs of practical politics in which winning and electable candidates matter only. While, getting the support of winning candidates could become possible only by forging an electoral alliance with likeminded political forces or through seat-adjustments with the same forces. Meanwhile, it has been learnt in an investigation of this reporter regarding PTIs organizational set up across the country that out of 36 districts of Punjab, PTI has its network in 28 districts, while in 24 districts of Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa, PTI has its organisational set up in 18 districts. However, PTI has loose organizational network in Sindh and Balochistan, as it has complete network only in five districts of Sindh out of 24 districts, while in the case of Balochistan, PTI has complete organizational set sup in four districts out of 30 districts of the Balochistan. The investigation further learnt that major support base of PTI lies in Khyber-Pukktunkhawa and Punjab, while the strong pockets of the PTI emanates from the youth or new and young voters, besides the undecided voters who earlier tested all the mainstream political forces. While, at this stage, the stated supporters of PTI though were not in a position to send their party in corridors of power, however they were committed with Imran Khan in case of victory or defeat. This trend of the PTIs supporters hint at its 'denting factor in the next general elections, especially in politically vital province of Punjab, which could make the PTI an 'important ingredient for any electoral coalition to be formed before the polls.

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