Unlike other parts of the province where electioneering has remained largely insipid and low-key and voters mostly disinterested in polls, Sanghar is a scene of high-voltage and aggressive campaigning by candidates of both Pakistan Peoples Party and its major rival Grand Democratic Alliance as the two appear evenly poised for success.

Sanghar has remained an unassailable stronghold of Hur Jamaat, religious arm of Pir Sahab Pagara’s Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, which won majority seats in 2002, 2008 and 2013 general elections, but in 2018 polls, PPP managed to break into the party’s invincibility by defeating most of its candidates.

The two parties’ rivalry runs deep in the district which often resulted in bloody clashes between their supporters especially during elections. Many people have lost lives on both sides over the years, hence the administration has declared 450 polling stations out of 901 ‘highly sensitive’ and 260 ‘sensitive’ in the district.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has addressed a public meeting in Shahdadpur, in which he excoriated GDA opponents, followed by his youngest sibling Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, who visited several parts of the district over the past few days to whip up support for her brother and other PPP candidates.

The GDA led by its chief coordinator and PML-F president Syed Sadruddin Shah Rashidi has also left no stone unturned in his former forte to win back his voters by convincing them that the 15-year rule of PPP has been a complete disaster. He repeats his accusation that PPP is committing pre-poll rigging in connivance with officials it has patronised during its three tenures in power.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have already announced their support for GDA, while Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf still remain in the field. JI and TLP chiefs have visited Sanghar to garner support for their candidates while PTI’s independents are also seen canvassing in the district persuading people to get rid of the deeply corrupt system.

The district witnesses a heightened frenzy of electioneering by the major players, PPP and GDA, followed by others. Not a day passes by without public gatherings, corner meetings and press conferences in different constituencies. Clashes between supporters of rival candidates have further added to tension in the air.

Sanghar has lost one each seat of National Assembly (NA) and provincial assembly (PA) after recent delimitations. It has now NA-209, NA-210 and five PA seats of PS-40, PS-41, PS-42, PS-43 and PS-44.

NA-209 and NA-210

NA-209 (Sanghar, Khipro, parts of Jam Nawaz Ali and Sinjhoro) is anticipated to witness a neck and neck fight between PPP’s Shazia Jannat Marri and GDA’s Mohammed Khan Junejo. PML-F has been winning this seat relatively easily until Ms Marri snatched it from PML-F in 2013 by-election.

She managed to retain the seat in 2018 by beating a GDA contestant by a margin of 10,000 votes. Ms Marri is confident to retain the seat as she has remained active in the constituency and also carried out development works, which give her an edge over her rival.

Junejo, who recently left PPP to join PML-F, wields great influence in the district. He has been switching sides from time to time. Interestingly, Junejo faces PPP on NA-209 while his nephew Salahuddin Junejo is contesting on a PPP ticket against GDA for NA-210.

PTI-backed independent Hameeda Masood Shah, JI’s Zaheeruddin Babar, TLP’s Shabana Kausar and 12 other candidates are also vying for seat.

NA-210 (Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, parts of Jam Nawaz Ali and Sinjhoro) constituency has remained a stronghold of PPP. Roshanuddin Junejo has been winning this seat for the party in 2008, 2013 and 2018 elections. This time, the PPP has awarded the ticket to his son Salahuddin Junejo to take on GDA’s celebrity, Saira Bano.

Junejos are local heavyweights, who have proved their mettle with unassailable winning record for decades, while GDA’s Saira Bano has made her name as the alliance’s most well-known face in National Assembly.

Ms Bano has run her election campaign energetically in which she has subjected PPP to harsh criticism for its 15- year performance in Sindh government. However, the PPP’s is in a stronger position in the constituency.

JI’s Kamran Aziz Ghori and nine other candidates are also in the run for the seat though the major contest is between PPP and GDA.

PS-40, PS-41, PS-42, PS-43, PS-44

On PS-40 (Sanghar), PPP’s Naveed Dero is contesting against Ghulam Dastgir Rajar of GDA and 13 others including TLP’s Rashid Hussain and JI’s Talat Mehmood.

Ali Hassan Hingorjo of PPP is pitted against GDA’s Qazi Shamsuddin Rajar on PS-41 (Khipro). Fifteen others including JI’s Jan Mohammed, PTI-backed independent Mohammad Aslam Jatt and TLP’s Kamaluddin are also in the fray.

GDA’s Rajar wields influence in this constituency and appears to be in a better position to give a tough fight to PPP.

On PS-42 (Jam Nawaz Ali), PPP’s Jam Shabbir Ali Khan is taking on his cousin, GDA’s Jam Nafees Ali Khan, and 22 others including Imtiaz Hussain of TLP and JI’s Farhat Yasmeen. Though PPP is in a better position on this seat GDA too can put up a tough fight to turn the tables.

PPP’s Paras Dero, GDA’s Niaz Hussain Mari and 11 others including Syed Mohammed Hussain Shah Jilani of TLP and JI’s Mushtaq Ahmef Adil are in the run for PS-43 (Tando Adam) though PPP has unassailable position in this constituency.

On PS-44 (Shahdadpur), PPP’s Shahid Thahim is taking on GDA’s Khuda Bux Khaskheli and 25 others, including Irshad Zafar Bukhari of JI. Thahim, who had won the seat in 2018, is hopeful of retaining it whereas GDA’s candidate is also optimistic for his win.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2024