ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party has informally launched its election campaign for the upcoming general elections from the most populous province and all their steps in the recent past right from the expansion in the Federal Cabinet, whipping up the campaign for Seraiki province and enhanced interest of President Zardari in the affairs of the Punjab province are all aimed at fortifying their base in the province.Sources in the party informed that PPP was diverting all its energies to strengthen their position in the province and they were mainly targeting both the rural and urban population in a different fashion.The induction of over a dozen federal ministers and state ministers in the recent expansion of the Federal Cabinet clearly shows the intension of President Zardari and his coteries that they wanted to win over the maximum support of the masses by appeasing them through their ministers in coming days in shape of job offers and addressing of their longstanding demands through these ministers.In the meantime, President Zardari has also constituted a couple of teams to win over the major families in the province, who are not comfortable with the PML-N leadership, to join hands with PPP in the upcoming elections. The committee comprising PPP Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz, President PPP Southern Punjab President MNA Makhdoom Shahabuddin and PPP Central Punjab President MNA Imtiaz Safdar Warriach met some major families of the province and requested them to join the PPP or extend support to them in the upcoming general elections.The sources in the PPP informed that the PPP leaders met the major family from Bakkar Nawanis while also held meetings with clan heads of Ranas from Central Punjab while also held a series of meetings with Darakishs of Dera Ghazi Khan.The sources further said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had also made a smart move to win the support of the leadership of Bahawalpur by extending the offer to them that in case they stop opposing formation of Seraiki province, the PPP leadership would make Bahawalpur as the provincial capital of the new province comprising southern Punjab districts. The sources aware of the meeting between the Prime Minister with the Nawab of Bahawalpur and other leading figures in the campaign for restoration of Bahawalpur Estate had given their consent that in case Bahawalpur is made the provincial capital of the new province, then the people of Bahawalpur would stop their campaign against Seraiki province rather support them in their struggle.Sources further informed The Nation that PPP leadership had also given free hand to Chaudhrys from Gujrat in managing the political hobnobbing in the areas under their influence where the PPP and PML-Q would go hand in hand in upcoming elections.Sources said that in rural constituencies the PPP-PML-Q duo could create serious trouble for the PML-N, which put their claim on Punjab as their stronghold.Meanwhile, President Zardari had asked the Punjab chapter of PPP to make arrangements for his frequent visits to parts of the central and upper Punjab with the aim to strengthen the party’s position in the areas from where the PPP had suffered defeat in the last general elections.At the same time President Zardari was touching some very sensitive and longstanding issues of the people of Punjab like Okara Military Farms tenants demands with the sole aim to win their support and to put the Punjab government under pressure. Sources in PPP informed that the campaign of the party in Punjab and in other parts of the country would mainly be lead by Chairman of the PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who would likely contest elections from Lahore besides contesting on a couple of seats from Sindh just to show solidarity with the people of Punjab and to give boost to the party’s campaign here.