MIANWALI, Aug 22: Scores of new faces, besides the old ones, are in the run for 56 union councils of the district. They include 168 candidates for nazim and naib nazim slots, 27 for minority seats, 222 for women peasants, 494 for workers (men), 300 for general councillors (women) and 958 for men.

Women are surprizingly showing a great deal of enthusiasm as the number of candidates is highest in the history of the district for any local elections which seems to be the result of efforts made by local politicians to enhance their strength at the time of elections for top slots.

It is strange however that the number of candidates for minority seats is less than what is anticipated and required.

The three tehsils of the district — Isakhel (14 UCs), Piplan (14) and Mianwali (28) — have 558,570 registered voters who will elect 728 members on 25th.

Despite a clear announcement of the election commission about the holding of local elections on non-party basis, almost all local political stalwarts are taking part in the campaign of their favourites directly by addressing public meetings.

A federal and two provincial ministers of the district are openly seen in their official cars along with police escorts, taking part in the campaign of their candidates by flouting code of conduct with impunity.

Lust for power has split the ruling PML. One group is led by Revenue Minister Gul Hameed Khan Rokri, having the support of Nawabzadas of Kalabagh and various tribes.

The second group is a local joint venture of politicians known as ‘Khidmat Ittehad’ (KI), led by Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, having the support of Provincial Minerals Minister Sibtain Khan, Amanatullah Khan, MPA Shadi Khel, ex-MNA Obaidullah Khan Shadi Khel, ex-MPAs Malik Ghulam Shabir Joyia, Malik Mumtaz Bhachar, Malik Taj Muhammad Kund, Haji Ghulam Rasool Khan and Faqir Abdul Majeed Khan who is also Piplan former tehsil nazim.

The remaining local politicians present in the field with solo efforts are Inamullah Khan Niazi of PML-N and Imran Khan.

A few years ago, the district was a stronghold of JUP and PML-N, but now they have lost their strength owing to lack of command. Although opposition parties have made adjustments on some seats, a majority of candidates is backed by the two big groups of the ruling party. Each one of the ruling group claims support of the high command just to attract voters.

The Rokri group has already announced former district nazim Humair Hayat Khan Rokri, son of Gul Hameed Rokri, as its nominee for the next four years.

During the 2001 elections, the local politics had witnessed a surprise change when old political rivals, Dr Sher Afgan Khan of PPP joined hands with Gul Hameed Khan Rokri of PML and formed an alliance called Khidmat Ittehad to contest against the PML-N, headed by Inamullah Khan Niazi. This alliance was not even accepted by the hardliners present in each group because Dr Sher Afgan had started his political career with the single-point agenda to erode the might of Nawabs of Kalabagh and Rokris. This alliance further surprised the people when both the leaders chose seats of district nazim and naib nazim for their sons and their alliance succeeded to win with a narrow margin.

Owing to this ‘unnatural’ alliance, differences surfaced after a few weeks and both the groups parted ways and started creating problems for each other in local politics.

Being the provincial minister, Gul Hameed Rokri got an upper hand in the province and protected his son, district nazim Humair Hayat Khan Rokri. Meanwhile, Amjad Khan, son of Sher Afgan, resigned from the slot of district naib nazim which was, later on, withdrawn. Being a federal minister, Dr Sher Afgan could not get support from the provincial government. Ultimately their differences further increased and Dr Afgan alleged that Rokri had betrayed him. He publicly sought pardon for his “worst political mistake of life” to make an alliance with the Rokris and termed the Rokris a symbol of corruption. He also accused the former district nazim of corruption as declared in the list issued by the Auditor General of Pakistan.

Later, Dr Afgan strengthened his Khidmat Ittehad by making a new alliance with all anti-Rokri elements and succeeded to get political bigwigs under his umbrella except the PML-N, Tehrik-i-Insaaf and MMA.