GUJRAT: The PML-N is unlikely to face a tough contest in its traditional Jhelum stronghold though the PTI and a few independents seem to be flexing their muscle at some places.

Most ruling party candidates are in a comfortable position in the urban and rural areas, where the polls (second phase) are going to be held on Nov 19.

Both the PML-N and the PTI have fielded 41 panels each in the 44 rural union councils of the district, while there are 47 independent panels. The district comprises four tehsils -- Jhelum (12 UCs), Dina (nine UCs), Sohawa (nine UCs) and Pind Dadan Khan (14 UCs and two municipal committees). There are five municipal committees in the district; they being Jhelum, Dina, Sohawa, PDK and Kheora.

The number of registered voters is 853,397 -- 454,751 men and 398,646 women, with a clear divide on the basis of clans such as Rajput, Gujjar, Jutt and Kashmiris.

Independents, PTI may make their presence felt at few places

The PML-N had clinched a landslide victory in the last two general elections of 2008 and 2013 as both the National Assembly and five Punjab Assembly seats were bagged by the party. The PTI gained some support in the district after two strong political families of former MNA Raja Afzal and former federal minister of PML-Q Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain joined it.

Insiders say the local ranks of the PTI are divided in factions due to which the party will not be able to pose any serious threat to the PML-N. Surprisingly, independents in the urban areas of the district are expected to give a tough time to the party despite the general perception of PTI’s popularity.

The PML-N’s campaign is mainly being run by senior parliamentarian Nawabzada Raja Iqbal Mehdi and MPA Chaudhry Laal Hussain whose elder brother Khadim Gurmala is also an MNA of the party.

In the previous two local body elections held in 2001 and 2005, the then PML(Q)-backed Chaudhry Farrukh Altaf, a scion of ex-Punjab governor the late Chaudhry Altaf Hussain, had been elected Jhelum district nazim. This time Farrukh is not in the race as the family has already joined the PTI.

Farrukh’s cousin Fauq Javed, son of former Dina tehsil nazim Chaudhry Javed Hussain, is contesting for the slot of chairman UC Laddhar on the PTI ticket.

PML-N MNA Iqbal Mehdi, whose constituency NA-63 comprises Jhelum and PDK tehsils, has pitched his son Nawabzada Matloob Mehdi in the race for UC chairman in PDK, the native area of the family. Analysts believe Matloob Mehdi is potential candidate of the party for the slot of the Jhelum district council chairman.

In Jhelum city’s 36 wards of municipal committee, there is a contest between the PML-N and the independents.

The PTI candidates do have chances in few wards whereas the other municipal committees of the district such as Dina, Sohawa, PDK and Kheora have 19, 15, 16 and 19 wards respectively where a contest between the PML-N and independents is expected.

There are 386 aspirants for general councillor seats; 198 are independents, 101 from the PML-N and 71 (PTI) and so far 15 councillors have been elected unopposed.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2015