PML-N rifts to benefit PTI in Shalimar Town

LAHORE
Although the ruling PML-N is expected to win majority of Union Council (UCs) seats in Shalimar Town, rifts within the party workers could affect the result of Saturday’s Local Government Elections.
The historic town named after the Shalimar Gardens built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan is one of the nine towns of the provincial metropolis where LG polls would be held on Saturday (tomorrow).
NA-123, 124, 119 and PP 143, 141, 144, 145, 146 fall in the jurisdiction of Shalimar Town which include the areas such as China Scheme, Baghbanpura, Singhpura, Gujarpura, Chah Miran, Sawami Nagar, Ghoray Shah, Wasanpura Scheme No.2, Bhagatpura, Daroghawala, Shadbagh, Begumpura, Angori Scheme, etc.
During a survey of the Town on Thursday, it was learnt that different party workers of PML-N are contesting election on symbols other than party’s (lion) after senior leadership of PML-N led by Lahore President MNA Malik Parvez denied them tickets on different pretexts.
Some disgruntled workers of PML-N in the town are vying for various seats including chairman, vice chairman, etc on the symbols of bucket and diamond.
Some (N) workers, contesting election as independent candidates, accused the selection panel of nepotism in selection of candidates. They claimed some tickets were awarded to near and dear ones of the elected parliamentarians ignoring loyal and staunch party workers who stood by their leadership during testing times.
Quoting Union Council 126, they said independent candidate Ch Majid Mehmood’s father was a loyal worker of Sharifs but he was refused the ticket and instead Sheikh Naeem, a close relative of local MPA Ch Shahbaz Ahmed, is contesting as PML-N candidate for chairman’s slot.
“As Sheikh Naeem is a new face to us and also a resident of DHA instead of the local area, why should we vote for him”, they argued
Similarly, Alau Din was a loyal worker of the ruling party but he is contesting as an independent candidate in UC 121 after he was refused the ticket.
This evident division as predicted by some pundits of the area would favour Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the polls which may clinch sizable votes to give tough time to the PML-N.
Talking to The News at his camp office in NA-123, Malik Parvez outright rejected all the allegations of nepotism and favoritism in tickets awards saying candidates were selected after due process. He conceded to the fact that rifts between the party workers were a concern for the party which may affect overall results in the polls.
“Surety bounds of PTI and PPP candidates would be forfeited”, he said of his rival political parties.
To a question, PML-N Lahore president said his party would clinch 90 per cent of total seats of LG Polls in Lahore. The senior legislature further said that at local level PML-N workers have made alliances with Jamaat-e-Islami and JUI (F).
To another question, he said his party didn’t initiate any development work in the city on the eve of local government elections. Development works like Orange Line Metro train, etc were started before the announcement of these polls.
Malik was also very confident of winning Mayor as well as 09 Deputy Mayor seats after the LG polls. He said people would vote for prosperity and development his government has brought in the country after 2013. Names of Deputy Mayors and Mayor haven’t been decided as yet, he maintained, adding around 25 women of the party would be elected on reserve seats.
Highlighting the development works his government undertook in Lahore in the last two and half years, the PML-N leader said over 300 water filtration plants have been established besides new water lines were also fixed for clean drinking water.
During the survey it also became clear and crystal that the main contest would be held between PML-N and PTI as there was hardly seen any camp office, banner or poster of the PPP candidates.
Some major problems citizens residing in the boundaries of the town are facing included dilapidated roads, poor sewerage system and environmental pollution which need attention of the authorities concerned.
On the other hand, PTI leadership gave the task of selecting candidates to Hamid Miraj. Majority of PTI candidates are new and contesting elections for the first time, which added colours to the political culture of Lahore.
Shahid Saeed, son of a PTI candidate for the seat of Chairman in UC 125, said his father Haji Saeed Anwar is contesting election for the first time on the demand of local people. He said his father runs a shoe shop in the area and Hamid Miraj personally asked him to contest the poll on PTI ticket against PML-N strong candidate Mian Muhammad Akbar.
Mina Muhammad Akbar had remained Nazim of his UC in 2005 and now eying for the slot of Deputy Mayor after winning his UC seat. The PTI leader Hamid Miraj also visited Shalimar Town areas on the last day of electioneering.