lahore

PML-N has emerged as the largest party in Punjab obtaining 207 of the total 297 general seats, which has placed this party at a very comfortable position to form the government fifth time in the province.

Surprisingly, the potential parties of the past, PPP and PML-Q, have almost completely lost their position inPunjabwhile PTI, a new player, has entered the Punjab Assembly as the third leading party with 22 winners after PML-N and the independents.

PPP could get only six and PML-Q seven seats. Both the parties ruled this province with majority in 1993 and 2002, respectively.

These parties lost their heavyweights like Raja Riaz, Ch Zaheeruddin, Shaukat Basra and Hassan Murtaza in these elections. A long-time planning and performance is needed to mend the loss. Particularly, PPP whose foundation stone was laid by ZA Bhutto inPunjabis likely to suffer heavily in the times to come as PTI has emerged to supplant it. And if PPP has to stay as a political force, it will now have to deal with PTI and PML-N inPunjabsimultaneously.

Given the situation, PTI is very much poised to play the role of opposition in the Punjab Assembly, which undoubtedly will give this party an edge over PPP and PML-Q besides building its political image in the province.

On the other hand, PML-N has secured almost the same mandate of 1997, but this time things are very much different from what they were 16 years ago. Now the party will need to take more care and responsibility to sustain its position and image. The N-League will also need to see that if PTI gets role of opposition inPunjaband at the Centre, it can become more lethal for the treasury and strengthen its foothold inPunjab.

While focusing on the factors which caused defeat of PPP inPunjab, political observers say it was sheer poor performance, bad governance and corruption of the two coalition partners. Contrary to it, PML-N performance in the province glistened strongly to earn it a thumping victory in the election.

Observers say the election results also show awakening of the public to the good or bad performance of the rulers and their reaction to the same.

The results, they say, have made it clear to the political parties that if they have to get vote and support of the people, they have to deliver and perform otherwise the public will discard them completely.

PPP also launched a media campaign to seek sympathy vote, but the trick did not work this time as the masses had got nothing but loadshedding, insecurity, price hike and problems. This also factored defeat of the party and win of the PML-N, they add.