LAHORE – The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf grew in popularity after its October 30 last year’s well-attended public meeting at the Minar-i-Pakistan. Although the party was launched in 1996, this was the first time that its presence was felt in the provincial metropolis and elsewhere. Tens of thousands of people turned up, panicking the PML-N, which regards Lahore as well as the entire Punjab as their stronghold.People started joining the PTI, especially those who believed that the Imran Khan-led party would emerge as the third political force and provide them with an opportunity to get rid of the PPP and the PML-N, parties that have been alternating each other in power but have failed to come up to the common man’s expectations.When subsequently the PTI held public meetings in Karachi and Quetta, the response was equally encouraging. This changed the thinking of many a wavering mind and they started believing that the future belongs to this party. Several leaders, some of them quite senior, left the parties they remained associated with for several years and joined the PTI. The development brought the PTI under criticism. Many thought that such joinings had ‘adulterated’ the party which was supposed to comprise the people of unblemished past. The youth, or the backbone of the PTI, felt disenchanted. They never thought that defectors from other parties would be accommodated in the PTI so easily. Party chief Imran Khan had to offer explanations to critics for letting such people in. He said the PTI cannot close its doors to other people. However, he promised that nobody with a bad reputation would be given tickets for elections.The entry of defectors from other parties also caused unrest among the party’s old guard. An invisible tension started between the party’s senior leaders and what they called the unwanted ‘sky labs’. The situation remains unchanged even today.But now the PTI leadership is facing a new embarrassment. Those who had joined the party in the recent past have started going back. For example, Sardar Tufail of Kasur has rejoined the PML-Q and been given ticket for himself and his son.Another MNA from Sheikhupura has followed suit.The Bhinders of Gujranwala, who had left the PML-Q to join the PTI, have parted company with Imran Khan and joined hands with the PML-N.These departures amount to a serious setback for the PTI. Those opposed to the entry of such people in the party stand vindicated. Now the party leadership thinks that many heavyweights will join the PTI once the assemblies are dissolved and the caretaker setup is put in place. This, again, is a miscalculation. The question is how the party will be able to evaluate the political worth of those joining the PTI so close to the elections. And being short of candidates, it will not be able to deny tickets to the new entrants, no matter what their reputation. And if every Tom, Dick and Harry is given ticket, there will be no difference between the PTI and other parties. And if there is no difference, why should the people vote for the PTI? The PTI thinks that the collective votes of the PPP and the PML-N have come down to 55 per cent, with the remaining 45 per cent still undecided. The party believes that these 45 per cent voters will support the PTI in the elections, making it the single largest vote-getter.To strengthen its position, the PTI is willing to join hands with the Jamaat-i-Islami. However, it is strongly opposed to the JUI-F, because of the policies of Maulana Fazlur Rehman.The party will have to review its policy and strategy very carefully to be able to come to power despite all odds.