DADU: Like elsewhere in the province, the ruling party faces an exclusively anti-Pakistan Peoples Party alliance in Dadu as well but what makes this alliance of four parties relatively strong is the inclusion of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) headed by the influential Liaquat Ali Jatoi, while the situation in Jamshoro appears to be business as usual with little opposition against PPP diehard Malik Asad Sikandar and his nominees.

Unlike other parts of the province where the party has weak opposition arrayed against it, the alliance appears to give it a tough time as it can also cash in on the open rivalry between two senior figures of the PPP, Pir Mazharul Haq and Rafique Ahmed Jamali, over distribution of party tickets.

Mostly close relatives of party heavyweights and influential persons including the Jamalis, Pirs, Legharis and Solangis of the PPP and the Jatois of AIP are among a total of 1,277 candidates who are in the run for different seats of Dadu district council, three municipal committees and five town committees.

The anti-PPP alliance includes the AIP, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Two PPP candidates and one AIP man are vying for the office of chairman of the district council.

Former zila nazim Karim Ali Jatoi, son of former Sindh chief minister and head of AIP Liaquat Ali Jatoi, is pitted against PPP’s Ghulam Abbas Solangi in Betto Jatoi union council. AIP’s Karim Ali Jatoi is also a candidate for the chairman of district council.

PPP’s Mohammad Ashraf Solangi faces AIP’s Ghulam Hussain Lakhiar in Mureed Lakhiar UC. Solangi is also a candidate for the office of chairman of the district council.

A total of 64 candidates for chairmen, vice chairmen of UCs, members of district council and members of municipal and town committees have been declared winners unopposed.

Saeed Ahmed Jamali, younger brother of PPP MNA Rafique Ahmed Jamali, was also elected unopposed as member of the district council from Bahawalpur UC. He is also a strong candidate for the office of chairman of the district council but PPP leaders close to the PPP MNA are lobbying for his brother, Saeed Ahmed Jamali, instead of him.

Jani Legahri, brother of PPP MNA Imran Zaffar Leghari, is contesting for district council member from Parya UC and Qambar Leghari, brother of Haji Zaffar Leghari, faces PTI’s Lakhmir Solangi in ward No3 of Sita Road town.

Jani Leghari is also a candidate for the office of chairman of district council and Qambar Ali Leghari is a candidate for chairman of Sita Road town committee.

PPP senior leader Pir Mazhar’s son Pir Danish is contesting for town committee councillor in ward No22 against independent candidate Ghulam Abbas Bhurgari who enjoys support of the AIP.

Pir Mazhar and PPP MNA Rafique Ahmed Jamali have traded barbs in public over distribution of party tickets among candidates. Pir Mazhar and his supporters believe Jamali has not been fair with them while Jamali shrugs off their allegations.

In ward No13, the contest for Dadu town committee among six candidates appears to become tough. They include independent candidates, Shaman Loond, Saeed Leghari, Asharaf Leghari, Allah Bux and AIP’s Mazhar Leghari and PPP’s Ghulam Mustafa Brohi, who is in a better position against the rest because of support of Pir Mazhar.

Pir Bux Babar of the AIP is pitted against PPP’s Ahmed Nawaz Babar in ward No1 of Johi town. He is also a candidate for the office of chairman of the Johi town committee.

Abdul Majeed Jamali of PPP faces independent candidate Ahmed Nawaz Soomro in ward No4 of Johi town for the seat of councillor of town committee.

PPP faces little opposition in Jamshoro

Though candidates having support of heavyweights like PPP MNA Malik Asad Sikandar, finance minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, MPA Sikandar Shoro, Sindh United Party chairman Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, PML-N district president Malik Changez Khan have made the contest interesting but the nominees of Malik Asad do not appear to have any serious challenge to face.

A total of 589 candidates are in the run for different seats of district council, two municipal and five town committees.

Malik Shahnawaz, younger brother of PPP MNA and former zila nazim Malik Asad Sikandar, is vying for member of district council, from Thana Ahmed Khan UC. He is in a strong position as his brother has twice remained zila nazim.

Former taluka nazim of Sehwan Sardar Sikandar Rahpoto, a close friend of finance minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, is contesting election from Talti UC while Sadiq Shoro, nephew of PPP MPA Dr Sikandar Shoro has been elected unopposed as member of district council from Kotri UC. Both are candidates for the office of chairman of district as well.

SUP candidate Roshan Buriro is also a candidate for the office of chairman. He is contesting from Bhan Syedabad UC.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2015