LALAMUSA/SIALKOT - The local PTI leaders have decided to contest the elections independently as a protest against his party's seat-adjustment with PML-Q in district Gujrat.
The decision of seat-adjustment has led to a wave of anger in the ranks of PTI who have tirelessly worked hard to build PTI in District Gujrat. According to the local PTI leadership, the action would weaken the presence of PTI and affect the outcome of upcoming general elections. The PTI leadership has decided to give tough time to PML-N; in pursuing that they have decided not to contest elections in Gujrat against Ch Perveiz Elahi in NA-69 and Ch Hussain Elahi in NA-68. The biggest affected figure of the seat-adjustment is seasoned PTI leader Afzal Gondal. Other PTI devotees are Mubashir Majeed Butt, Ch.Usman Dudhra and many more who were PTI ticket aspirants in District Gujrat. But now some of them are planning to contest as independents which would further alienate PTI. PTI leadership of District Gujrat has said that if the situation was not remedied then this may spell the end of PTI in seat-adjusted constituencies.
Likewise, the PTI and the PML-Q will make seat-adjustment in Sialkot district's two constituencies.
Political observers are terming it a major political development in the prevailing political scenario of Sialkot district after the "unfair" distribution of party tickets to the dissidents instead of the PTI's loyal workers.
The seat-adjustment was discussed in details and also finalised during a meeting between the top leadership of both PTI and PML-Q, sources said.
Under this political deal, the PTI will not field its candidates against the PML-Q candidate Ch Ansar Iqbal Baryar, former MPA, in Daska city's NA-75, Sialkot-IV and against the PML-Q candidate Bao Muhammad Rizwan, former MPA, in PP-41.
In return, the PML-Q will support the PTI candidates in all the four constituencies of National Assembly and 10 Punjab Assembly, said Ch Ansar Iqbal Baryar, Secretary General of PML-Q Sialkot district.
PTI has not yet announced its candidates in Daska city's NA-75 and PP-41 due to the political deal.
The Pundits said that this seat-adjustment between PTI and PML-Q in two constituencies of Sialkot district, would inject fresh blood in PML-Q at local level besides giving a direly needed political boost to the PTI which is facing mounted internal political differences after award of the party tickets. The PTI's disgruntled leaders are contesting the polls as independent candidates against the PTI in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils.
The political deal would benefit both PTI and PML-Q in Sialkot district.
Meanwhile, two former PML-Q-backed district nazims Mian Naeem Javaid and Akmal Cheema also remained unable to attract the top PTI leadership for getting the party tickets.
Likewise, former tehsil nazims Nasir Mehmood Cheema and Ejaz Ahmed Cheema also remained unable to get the PTI tickets. Nasir Mehmood had been PML-Q backed tehsil nazim. Ejaz Ahmed Cheema had also been the Daska Tehsil Nazim in Musharraf Regime. He was Sialkot District President of PPP, but he joined the PTI about a month ago.
They joined the PTI with high hopes to get the PTI tickets ahead of 2018 general elections, but all went in vain, as they could not get more than disappointments. Former Narowal district nazim Col (r) Javaid Safdar Kahiloun was also ignored by the top PTI leadership.
They are politically influential leaders of their times but now disgruntled in PTI.
Now, they are contesting the general elections as independent candidates by forming their groups against the PTI candidates in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils. The situation is harming the PTI vote bank besides confusing its local voters and supporters in this regard.