Confusion persists over Bilawal Bhutto’s return to politics soon with widespread rumours of falling out between father and son. The recent statement by Asif Ali Zardari that Bilawal needs to grow up has deepened the puzzle.

Many party insiders admit the family differences may keep the young Bhutto out of active politics for quite some time.

Bilawal left the country weeks after a big party rally in Karachi last November, which was supposed to herald his formal launch into politics. His firebrand speech on that occasion brought to the surface what is described as a “generational” divide.

Read: Bilawal to enter politics gradually, says Zardari

His diatribes annoyed both party allies and foes, reinforcing the view that his entry into the political arena was a bit premature.

“It exposed his political immaturity and naivety,” says an old party stalwart and close associate of the Bhutto family.

Bilawal was soon sent packing to London and his young aides, blamed for misleading him, were shown the door. The disengagement was so bad that Bilawal refused to see his father in London in December, according to a close associate of the family.

Also read: Serious differences between Bilawal and Zardari: Mirza

Persuaded by some family members and friends he finally agreed to meet Mr Zardari. But there was no real thaw. “You will be happy to know that I finally met him,” Bilawal said in an SMS message to a close family friend. His absence on the seventh death anniversary of his mother reinforced the speculation about the split. His comments on Twitter on political issues were rarely seen.

Major points of contention between Zardari and Bilawal are reorganisation of the PPP and the worsening governance in Sindh

Bilawal’s unceremonious exit from the political stage, however, brought huge disappointment among many hardcore party loyalists who had pinned their hopes on the young leader to resurrect the party reeling from the worst electoral defeat since its inception some four decades ago. The party had relied on the Bhutto name and legacy to bind its supporters. But the family feud has left the party more demoralised and in greater disarray.

Some family and party insiders say that Bilawal was not ready to get into politics, but was pushed into the arena by his father prematurely.

In fact Mr Zardari wanted to launch him back in 2009 at a party convention in London, when Bilawal was still an undergraduate student at Oxford, but the plan was dropped at the last minute.

He returned to Pakistan in 2011 to take up some leadership responsibility in the party after Mr Zardari was flown out of the country for medical treatment. But he maintained a low profile until his formal launch last November.

According to some party insiders, some major points of contention are reorganisation of the party and the worsening governance in Sindh province — the last bastion of the party. Bilawal’s enthusiasm and energy combined with his political inexperience annoyed many senior party leaders who often complained about his “arrogance”. His young aides were blamed for his impetuousness.

Some senior party leaders, however, play down the differences. “Those differences are blown out of proportion,” says one senior party leader. According to them, Bilawal is expected to resume his political activities soon, with Dubai as his base. But there is no plan for his return to mass politics in Pakistan yet. He may, however, be re-launched close to the 2018 elections after what Mr Zardari calls “his retraining”.

But the big question is whether he would be able to revitalise the party that has lost so much political ground over the past years. The charisma of Bhutto’s name alone may not work in a fast changing political milieu. It will be hard for anyone to defend the dismal record of the party while in power and regain its lost popular mass base. The party needs a new message not just a Bhutto face.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2015

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