SWABI, March 25: Many Awami National Party (ANP) leaders and workers in Swabi have complained of being ignored by the leadership during the award of tickets for next elections, saying wealthy people have yet again managed to be the party’s candidates.

According to them, the decision may have negative bearing on the party’s position in the district, which is considered a stronghold of ANP.

ANP has fielded former MNA Haji Rehmanullah in NA-12, Swabi-I; Sarwar Khan, a retired banker, in NA-13, Swabi-II; former provincial usher and zakat minister Zar Shaid Khan in PK-31, Swabi-I; former MPA and son of Haji Rehmanullah, Ameer Rehman, in PK-32, Swabi-II; lawyer Ashfaq Ahmad in PK-33, Swabi III; Engineer Amjid Ali in PK-34, Swabi IV; Mohammad Islam in PK-35, Swabi-V, and former MPA Sarfraz Khan Jadoon in PK-36, Swabi-VI.

Haji Rehmanullah has got the ticket for fourth time, his son, Ameer Rehman, and Sarfraz Khan Jadoon third time and Zar Shaid and Engineer Amjid Ali second time. Only Mohammad Islam and Mohammad Ishfaq got ANP ticket for the first time.

Many leaders and workers in the district have already warned that they will not canvass for the party’s candidates if their opinion is ignored during the award of tickets.

Many ANP leaders and workers in PK-31 regretted that the party’s leadership had ignored a strong candidate, Gul Zamin Shah, in the constituency to the disappointment of activists and sympathisers, so its chance of winning the seat was slim.

The ANP activists in PK-33 said they had expected that the party would field either former provincial minister Awwal Sher Khan or former MPA Shoaib Khan, but they were unfortunately ignored.

Former ANP district information secretary Mohammad Rashid said he had favoured the award of tickets to leaders, who had great contributions to the party, but ironically, all they were ignored.

“I think it will badly affect the ANP campaign and elections results,” he said.

A district office-bearer of ANP said the finalisation of the candidatures of many in the district had shocked many party workers and leaders.

“It’s really frustrated us. We didn’t expect that,” he said.

Local political observers said ANP won NA-13, PK-31, PK-33, PK-35 and PK 36 seats in 2008 elections but this time, the results might be different.

When contacted, former advisor to the chief minister Mukhtiar Khan said ANP had awarded tickets to genuine candidates and those objecting to it would be dealt with strictly. He said the party’s leadership wanted to win elections and therefore, it had fielded right candidates.