MUZAFFARGARH, Feb 25: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA-elect Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi, who was also elected a member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) from PP-258, has decided to opt for the National Assembly. With his decision to quit the provincial seat, a neck-on-neck fight is expected in the bye-poll.

Another interesting aspect of the bye-poll will be the party affiliation of runner-up Makhdoom Haroon Sultan Bukhari, who was a Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) candidate in the Feb 18 elections.

According to the close aides of Mr Bukhari, he will contest the bye-election as either an independent candidate or a PML-N hopeful.

Mr Jatoi bagged 26,747 votes while Mr Bukhari stood runner-up with 25,954 votes. Mr Bukhari enjoyed the ministry in the province during the tenure of Pervaiz Elahi.

Sources said Mr Bukhari would not contest the election on a PML-Q ticket but would try to get PML-N ticket. In case the PML-N leadership refused him to oblige, he would contest the bye-election as an independent candidate. In the 2008 general election, PML-N candidate from the constituency was Atta Muhammad Qureshi, who could manage over 3,000 votes.

Sources said Mr Bukhari was sure to get the PML-N ticket and if the party succeeded in forming the government in the Punjab, he would put up stiff resistance to the PPP candidate.

Sensing the situation, Mr Jatoi tried to meet PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad in last week. But Mr Sharif avoided Mr Jatoi. Some TV channels even aired the story that Mr Jatoi was running after the PML-N leadership to join. Talking to Dawn, Mr Jatoi, however, clarified that he could not think of leaving the PPP. He said he and Mr Sharif were staying in Frontier House and he just wanted to pay a courtesy call to Mr Sharif. He said he was ready to face his rivals regardless of their party affiliation.

DEGREE ISSUE: Pakistan Muslim League-Q candidate for NA-178 Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmad Khan filed a writ petition on Monday in the Lahore High Court (LHC), Multan bench, against member of the National Assembly-elect Jamshed Dasti, alleging that his Bachelor degree was bogus. The LHC will hear the case on Tuesday (today).

Mr Iftikhar said he had strong proof that the court would disqualify Mr Dasti because his BA degree was bogus. When asked why he did not move court before elections, he said in fact he was expecting his victory in the election. According to pre-poll observation, he said, he was taking lead followed by his brother Mr Mansoor. When Dawn contacted Mr Dasti, he said that with the help of the public he had defeated both Nawabs in the poll and he would also emerge victor from the court.