ISLAMABAD   -  The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan has almost finalized four candidates for Senate polls and the name of the most contentious candidate, Kamran Tessori, may be dropped from the list, The Nation has reliably learnt. 

The four names are likely to be finalized and announced today (Sunday) with the consensus of all MQM-P members including the disgruntled party members. 

The Senate elections will be held on March 3 as formally notified by the Election Commission of Pakistan on February 2. All major political parties have announced names of their candidates including covering candidates for the elections of the Upper House of Parliament. 

Sources said that the MQM-P deliberated upon 16 names for the Senate elections and four candidates will be finalized. 

The name of Tessori, the most favourite candidate of Farooq Sattar for Senate elections, has almost been dropped due to a controversy within the party. 

Among the 16 names, the sources said, Barrister Farogh Naseem, Farhan Chishti, Hussain Hasan Faroz and Dr Nikahat Shakeel might get the tickets for the upcoming Senate polls. 

The Sindh Assembly has 168 seats including 95 PPP members, nine Muslim League-F, seven PML-N, four PTI, and one National Party member.  

At least 24 votes would be needed for one seat in Senate. The MQM-P has a total of eight seats in the Senate and four will retire and four new will be elected. 

The MQM-P could not get its 11 disgruntled members of parliament including three MNAs ‘de-seated’ by the poll body ahead of the Senate elections.  

The Pakistan Sarzameen Party, its opponent political party, led by Mustafa Kamal is also confident to get a representation in the Upper House of Parliament with the support of other political parties including the Muslim League-F and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. 

The MQM-P has filed a reference against 11 party members of national and provincial assemblies who included Asif Hasnain, Salman Mujahid Baloch, Irum Azeem Farooqi, Sheikh Abdullah, Khalid bin Wilayat, Abdul Razzaq, Irtaza Khalil,  Sufiyan, Nadeem Raazi, Arif Maseeh and Bilquis Mukhtiyar. 

The reference has demanded of the ECP to de-notify these lawmakers as they continue to show up in the respective legislative assemblies (on seats won on MQM-P tickets) even after switching their loyalties to other parties. 

The PSP members are set to try their luck to get a seat in the upcoming Senate elections. Some of MQM-P members might not support its own party which will be helpful for the PSP to clinch a seat in Senate.