LAHORE - PPP South Punjab President Makhdoom Syed Ahmad Mahmood has accused the PML-N government of practicing horse trading in Rahim Yar Khan elections for the top seats to upset the majority of the Pakistan People’s Party.

Talking to the media at his residence yesterday, Syed Ahmad Mahmood said the PML-N in sheer disregard of the commitment made through the Charter of Democracy (CoD) violated the mandate of the PPP in RY Khan and brought 18 votes of his party spending Rs400million. He alleged each vote of the PPP was purchased for one to three crore rupees.

“This practice has deepened discrimination between the Punjabis and the Saraiki as the main character who took to purchasing votes is a Punjabi. It will also add to the sense of deprivation of the South Punjab people and firm up impression of the Takht-e-Lahore,” he observed.

The former Punjab governor said it was pitiable attitude of the rulers of Punjab that they were are not ready even to part with one seat in a district where the PPP has legitimate right to form the government. “Through rigging the chairmanship of the district council RY Khan was also not given to the PPP,” he blamed.

To a question, he said that the PPP and the PPP (P) will see a merger while PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and and Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari will contest election to the National Assembly on the same election symbol, Arrow. After their arrival to the Assembly, he added, the PPP would actively perform politics on the issues of national and public values. “The PPP will give the treasury tough time after advent of the PPP top men.”

To a question, he said, the undemocratic attitude of the Punjab rulers has badly hurt feelings of the Saraikis. He said situation in Balochistan is not good and Sindh is simmering under hatred along Sarakis pains which altogether are yielding the same impact which the deprivations of the Bangalis had created before 1971 debacle. This all is not in the interest of the country, he added.

About the PML-N government, he highlighted the people are leading the life of a slave under this rule and it would be Bilawal who is going to rid the people of this deplorable plight particularly in Punjab. The rulers, he said, do not like to live under the shadow of democracy as they have knack to treat the people like slaves and personal chattel. “Now politics is not only to ensure rights to the masses but also to get the people free from the rule of a family.”

He maintained the N rulers are engrossed in corruption at the moment which is unaffordable to the country. He said the PPP, which also needs to attend to good governance along with implementation of the Party manifesto, demands Bilawal to show more hard work to regain the voters’ strength.

“PPP is a left wing and liberal party but unluckily, the right wing parties have taken lead in the country and space for the left wing has squeezed,” the former governor said, adding that poor, peasants and the working class is the vote-bank of the PPP and special focus will be given to them to regain their support and vote.

To another question, he overruled the grand opposition alliance without participation of the PTI.