ISLAMABAD - Following the political upheaval in Balochistan where the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (Parliamentarians) toppled their own chief minister, the mainstream political parties having stakes in the upcoming Senate elections, are perturbed over the dissidents in their ranks who are capable of turning the expected results of the upper house topsy-turvy in other provinces as well.
The input from parliamentarians of different political parties, and the information given by parliamentary sources revealed that the issue had become a matter of concern for almost all the political parties in the run for these elections as there is sizeable number of parliamentarians in every political party who are not comfortable with their respective party leadership for different reasons.
These political parties fear massive horse-trading in the upcoming Senate elections, mainly in Balochistan where the majority of the PML-N (Parliamentarians) defied the central party leadership and announced to take their own decision about the upcoming Senate polls.
Similarly, a sizable group within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is annoyed with Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, so they are also prone to go against party line in the Senate elections due in March this year.
With the toppling of Nawab Sanaullah Zehri as Balochistan chief minister, the ruling PML-N central leadership had lost its writ in the province and the chances of party to get its men elected in the upcoming Senate elections seem minimal.
One of the key figures in orchestrating the drive for Zehri’s ouster from power, Sarfraz Bugti, had said that the PML-N Balochistan would bring its own candidates for Senate elections and would not be taking any dictation from the party’s central leadership.
So the chances of the PML-N to get the candidates of its choice elected from Balochistan has completely diminished, a parliamentarian from opposition party commented.
In 2015 elections, the PML-N had managed to get three of its candidates elected from Balochistan besides managing three senators each elected by its coalition partners, the National Party and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, in the province.
Political analysts said that the National Party and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party could jointly manage to repeat the results of 2015 but in case the incumbent ruling coalition would play smartly their seats could slash down.
Though the PML-N dissidents had strictly rebutted involvement of massive amounts of money in the current move against Zehri but Nawaz Sharif and other senior PML-N leaders saw a crafty move behind it and even some federal ministers blamed Asif Ali Zardari for the situation.
By and large the leadership of various political parties fear massive horse-trading in the upcoming Senate elections not only in Balochistan but also in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and even in the Punjab where previously all the seats were won by the ruling PML-N due to its thumping majority.
Political analysts said that as the assemblies were also close to its mandated term, which would be expiring in June, the stakes of the Parliamentarians with the incumbent government have scaled down, especially those who are unlikely to stay with the parties could easily be lured by those interested in getting some extra votes to get their men in the Upper House.
Previously, in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had to engage Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to avoid horse-trading or selling of votes and they had quite effectively managed it.
At that time, the then governor of the province, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan had played key role in this connection.
Even, both the PTI and the PML-N had secured the votes from the doubtful members out of the polling booths where they had put plain papers instead of votes.
But even then, Pakistan People’s Party had managed to secure one seat, which otherwise it could not.
Realising the gravity of the situation, the PML-N leaders are out to blame former president and Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians Chief Asif Ali Zardari for planning massive horse-trading in the upcoming Senate elections for keeping hold of the top slot of the Upper House of the parliament.
But some 19 senators of the PPP including the incumbent Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani would be retiring in March this year, and if the PPP would repeat the results of the last Senate elections, it would manage to take its strength to 15, which in no way would be a figure to aspire for the top slot in the Upper House, a senior parliamentarian commented.
Even if the PPP would add another few seats as alleged by the opponents through horse-trading even then it would be very difficult to get hold of the 104 member House with 20 plus/minus seats.