BAHAWALPUR: The defeat of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidates in 30 union councils of the total 34 falling within the jurisdiction of NA-154 (Lodhran district) poses a serious challenge to PTI secretary-general Jahangir Tareen who is to face the PML-N candidate in the by-polls in the near future.

The PTI could win only four union councils in Tareen’s constituency (NA-154). Overall the PTI could bag only eight UCs in the district as 14 union council chairmen elected were independents while the polling in three UCs could not be held on Saturday for a number of reasons.

The Lodhran district comprises 70 union councils from where the PML-N is already in a commanding position, winning seats in 45 UCs.

Mr Tareen had reportedly been investing generously in these UCs as he had established welfare institutions and two schools for boys and girls.

The PML-N is in a comfortable position in the district council to capture the chairman slot with the possible support of 14 independent chairmen of UCs.

Lodhran’s PML-N district president Tahir Amir Khan Ghauri, who was aspiring for the chairmanship, had already been ousted from the contest as he was defeated with a margin of only 14 votes by an independent candidate.

It is learnt that independent candidates’ group was launched by PML-N MNA Abdul Rehman Kanju and his associates and most of its candidates contested the election under the symbol of bucket.

The independent group has been successful in grabbing 14 seats of chairmen in the district council in addition to 20 seats in wards of Lodhran.

Being an influential political group in the district, Mr Kanju may be able to lure a majority of independent elected chairmen for the slots of district council chairman and Lodhran municipal committee chairman.

In municipal committee, the strength of the PML-N elected chairmen is four while the PTI has six elected men in the committee.

The PML-N has 7 seats, PTI one and independents four seats in Dunyapur municipal committee while in Kahror Pucca MC the PML-N has 20 seats, PTI one and independents seven seats.

The Kanju group may also lobby to capture the chairmen slots in both municipalities of the Lodhran district.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2015

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