MARDAN - Political and religious parties have accelerated their activities in district Mardan for the upcoming elections and several expected candidates have to the fore.
The ruling parties - Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) - are facing a lot of problems on ticket issue in some of the constituencies, sources within the parties told TheNation.
Mardan district including three national and eight provincial assembly seats among which one national assembly was won by PPP, one by ANP and one by JUI-F while among eight provincial assembly seats PPP gained four seats ANP gained three seats and JUI-F gained one seat in the 2008 election. Sources said that on National Assembly NA-9 seat Chief Minister Ameer Hiader Khan Hoti is the expected candidate of ANP, Abdus Samad Khan Toru is the expected candidate of PPP, Maulana Shujaul Mulak JUI-F, Nawabzada Khwaja Mohammad Hoti who recently joined PML-N is the expected candidate of PML-N, Atif Khan is expected candidate of PTI.
In the 2008 election ANP candidate Khwaja Hoti won this election and gained 31,075 votes while PPP Haji Khanzada Khan who is not so popular in the masses gained 24,217 votes, Maulana Shujaul Mulk JUI-F candidate gained 10625 votes before 2002 election this seat was won by PPP or ANP in 2002 election this seat was won by MMA candidate Maulana Shujaul Mulk in the by elections of 2012 ANP candidate Himayatullah Mayar again won this seat and gained 30770 votes while Maulana Shujaul Mulk obtained 24621 votes.
In this constituency top competition will occur between Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Abdus Samad Khan Toru, Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti and Maulana Shujaul Mulak. On NA-10 expected candidate of JUI-F is current MNA Maulana Mohammad Qasim, in past his father won this seat and after his death Mulana Mohamma Qasim won this seat continually due to their religious followers while on PPP ticket Nawabzada Abdul Qadir Khan will contest election, Mohammad Farooq Akram Khan is the expected candidate of ANP, in the 2008 election Maulana Mohammad Qasim won this seat and gained 29,279 votes, Nawazada Abdul Qadir Khan gained 23,139 votes and remained runner-up while ANP candidate Mohammad Farooq Khan gained 21115 votes. On NA-11 seat Haji Khanzada Khan expected candidate of PPP has already won this seat in the by election after the resigned of Abdul Akbar Khan, Haji Naseem ur Rehman will be the expected candidate of ANP. Attaur Rehman is the expected candidate of JI. In the 2008 election Abdul Akbar Khan won this seat on PPP ticket and gained 49060 votes he also won provincial constituency PK 30 seat and later on resigned from the NA seat. ANP candidate Haji Naseem ur Rehman gained 26546 votes.
Provincial constituency PK 23 expected candidate of ANP is current Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti who in 2008 elections won this seat and gained 11009 votes, PPP expected candidate on this seat is former provincial minister Iftkhar Mohmand who has recently joined PPP, Ikramullah Shahid ex deputy speaker of KPK assembly is expected candidate of JUI-S, Umar Farooq Khan Hoti son of Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti who also recently joined PML-N is the expected candidate, Riaz Pandakheil advocate is the expected candidate of PTI.
On PK 24 competition is continued between two candidates of ANP Haji Ahmed Khan Bahudur current MPA who won this seat in the 2008 election and gained 11806 votes and Ali Khan son of former federal minister Haji Yaqoob Khan who has recently joined the party is struggling to gain the party tickets.
Sources added that if ANP leadership ignored Haji Ahmed Khan Bahudur then he may join PPP and will contest election on PPP ticket in the upcoming elections. Sources added that JUI-F, PPP and other parties have started contact with him to join him in their party, PML-N expected candidate on this seat is Nawbzada Arsalla Khan, JUI-F expected candidate on this seat is Maulana Amanat Shah Haqani who lost this seat in 2008 election and gained 7118 votes, PTI expected candidate is Muazam Khan Hoti who lost this seat on PPP ticket and gained 8805 votes but later on he joined PTI. On PK 25 struggle is continued between current MPA Ghani Dad Khan and current MNA Haji Himayatullah Mayar to gain the ticket of ANP. Ghani Dad Khan won this seat in 2008 election and gained 9692. Sources added that Ghani Dad Khan and Haji Ahmed Khan Bahudur both belong to same family and if party ignored them like Ahmed Khan Ghani Dad Khan will also join PPP and contest in the upcoming election on PPP tickets, Mujihid Khan is expected candidate of PTI he lost this seat on PPP ticket in 2008 election and gained 7035 votes later on he joined PTI, Maulana Israrul Haq is expected candidate of JUI-F he also lost this seat in 2008 elections and gained 7717 votes. On PK 26 Sher Afghan Khan is the expected candidate of PPP he also won this seat in 2008 election and gained 14174 votes, ANP expected candidate on this seat is Toufiq Khan who lost the 2008 election and gained 3029 votes, Haji Kashwar Khan is expected candidate of JUI-F who lost this seat in the 2008 election and gained 6380 votes, Abdul Ghafar Khan Mohmand is the expected candidate of PTI. On PK 27 Asad Khan son of Senior Minister Rahim Dad Khan is expected candidate of PPP his father Rahim Dad Khan won this seat in 2008 election and gained 12229 votes, Sohail Khan is the expected candidate of JUI-F who lost this seat in 2008 and gained 10118 votes, Bahadur Khan is the expected candidate of ANP on this seat. On PK 28 current MPA Hafiz Akhtar Ali is the expected candidate of JUI-F who won this seat in 2008 elections and gained 10803 votes, Haider Ali Khan advocate is expected candidate of PPP who lost this seat on PPP ticket in 2008 and gained 7214 votes, Chief Minister will also contest election on ANP ticket on this seat.
On PK 29 Abdul Akbar Khan current MPA is the expected candidate of PPP who won this in 2008 election and gained 11715 votes, Syed Zahid Jamal Bacha is the expected candidate of ANP, Maulanna Mubarik Ali is the expecte candidate of JUI-F.
On PK 30 Imtyaz Shagi current MPA is the expected candidate of PPP, Taj ul Amin Jabal is the expected candidate of JUI-F who lost this seat in 2008 election and gained 6601 votes. Observer says that in the upcoming election top competition is expected among PPP-ANP and JUI-F in the district on different seats.