SWABI: The coalition partners in the provincial government are likely to face a tough test in Swabi district over formation of alliance for the upcoming local government elections, analysts believe.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Swabi-based Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) are partners in the coalition government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, the leaders of these three political parties have not made a decision about forming alliance for the local government polls.

The workers of these parties say that no practical steps in this connection have been taken. On the other hand, the opposition parties have already started people contact campaign for the local government elections, they add.

The local leaders of AJIP said that during the last local bodies elections and two general elections, their party proved its vote bank in the district and its leaders emerged victorious, defeating the candidates of other political parties, especially Awami National Party (ANP).

The JI and PTI leaders said that AJIP would demand a lion’s share in the seats adjustment for local government polls. Compared to AJIP, their parties were bigger and must have main chunk in the seat adjustment, they said.

AJIP central general secretary Biland Iqbal, when contacted, said they had not discussed formation of alliance for local bodies’ election with their coalition partners. “We should set across the table,” he said.

Leaders of PTI, JI and AJIP undecided about forming alliance for the elections

To a question, he said that they won majority of seats in the last two general elections in the district and the local government was also formed by their leader Shahram Khan Tarakai in 2005. “Naturally we would demand lion’s share in the seats,” Mr Iqbal added.

JI district chief Saeed Zada admitted that AJIP leadership would try to dominate the local bodies’ elections but they would not lag behind. He said they were working day and night and were in contact with the people. “Let us wait and see what would happen but we are equal partners,” he said.

The local leaders of PTI, when contacted, said that they had decided to contest elections and their youth were ready to run the campaign.

“The role of youth would be very critical in the local bodies’ elections. It would be a golden opportunity for them to strengthen their position,” said Shahzada Fahad, the district president of Insaf Student Federation, the student wing of PTI.

He said that a few days ago they met with PTI chief Imran Khan in Islamabad and told him that youth should be given due status in local bodies’ elections.

Meanwhile, former MNA Haji Rehmanullah told this correspondent that the local bodies’ elections would be a test for them and their utmost desire was to rejuvenate their party, ANP, in the district after an ignominious defeat in 2013 general elections.

He said that ANP leadership had already hinted at forming an alliance with the like-minded parties. “We have chalked out a plan to foil the designs of those, who have failed to meet the expectations of people during the last two years,” the ANP leader said.

Published in Dawn March 25th , 2015

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