MULTAN, Dec 13: A tough ballot battle is on the cards between Dreshak group’s candidate Nassarullah Khan Dreshak and Leghari group’s candidate Jaffar Khan Leghari for NA-174 (Rajanpur-1).

The Rajanpur district has two National Assembly seats — NA-174 and NA-175. The NA-174 comprises 22 union councils, including Jampur Sharqi and Jampur Gharbi UCs. Out of the total UCs the Leghari group hold sway over 16 UCs, and the Dreshaks and the Gurchanis three each.

Jaffar Khan Leghari had been elected MNA from this constituency in 2002 on the National Alliance’s ticket after defeating Gorish Sardar Gurchani of PML-N. Mr Leghari, who had secured almost double the votes of his opponent, was backed by the Nassarullah Dreshak group.

For the upcoming elections, the PML-Q has awarded the ticket to Jaffar Khan Leghari while Nassarullah Dreshak is contesting against him as an independent candidate. Elders of the Gurchani tribe have decided to back Jaffar Leghari.

Although Gorish Gurchani has submitted his nomination papers, he has still not started his election campaign which has disappointed the PLM-N workers. While the PPP has awarded the ticket to Khwaja Kalimuddin Koreja instead of party’s district secretary-general Zaffarullah Khan Lund advocate.

PPP workers are unhappy over giving say-so to former caretaker prime minister Mir Balakh Sher Mazari to decide the party matters in the district after he has joined the PPP. On his behalf Mr Koreja has been awarded the ticket because PPP supporters will not cast their votes to the Leghari group candidate.

Talking to Dawn, Zaffarullah Lund said the PPP had a large vote bank in this constituency while Mr Balakh Sher had entered into an alliance with Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari against Nassarullah Dreshak.

He said he would leave the party office in protest after election and now he would not contest the election even on the insistence of the party leadership.

In return the Leghari group will support Sher Ali Gurchani for PP-247 and Athar Gurchani for PP-248. But, the situation is not conducive to the Leghari group because former Jampur tehsil nazim and MPA Ghazali Raheem Pittafi, who is now in the Leghari group and has a large vote bank, may join the Dreshak group. Mr Pittafi, who has submitted his nomination papers for PP-247, is determined to contest the election.

Similarly, former Rajanpur district nazim and PPP candidate Dr Abdul Hafiz Dreshak, who has links with the Leghari group, has submitted his poll papers for PP-248, but the Leghari group is bound to support Athar Gurchani instead of Dr Hafiz.

In case the Leghari group supports Athar Gurchani it is quite a possibility that Dr Hafiz will join the Dreshak group. Nassarullah Dreshak is already trying to get the support of Dr Hafiz.

A delegation of seven union nazims on Wednesday met former president Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari who is not satisfied with the decision of Jaffar Leghari in relation to Sher Ali Gurchani. The delegation suggested that the PML-Q ticket should be given to Ghazali Rahim Pittafi. It also recommended the name of Avais Leghari for PP-247.

If Mr Pittafi becomes the Leghari group candidate for PP-247 its alliance with the Gurchani tribe will automatically come to an end and Gorish Gurchani can contest election against Jaffar Leghari on the PLM-N ticket. The other option is that the Gurchani tribe can make alliance with Nassarullah Dreshak.