Two PMLN bigwigs engage in ticket tussle for NA-121

LAHORE: Two stalwarts of the PMLN have come face-to-face to secure the party ticket from the same constituency in Lahore during the parliamentary board meeting here Saturday.

The PMLN convened a meeting of its parliamentary board to finalise the names of candidates for party tickets in Lahore Saturday, chaired by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. PMLN Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz and other party leaders were also present.

According to party sources, a heated debate ensued between two party leaders for the party ticket for the National Assembly constituency NA-121.

Sheikh Rohail Asghar stood firm in front of the party leadership, demanding the party ticket from this constituency, as it was his home battlefield. Former speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was also a candidate for the party ticket from the same constituency.

Sources mentioned that Sheikh Rohail Asghar had informed the meeting that NA-121 was his native constituency, and he intended to contest elections from there. If the party ticket was not granted to him, he declared his intention to contest as an independent candidate.

Furthermore, Sheikh Rohail Asghar pointed out that in 2018, a part of his constituency was included in Ayaz Sadiq’s constituency. Consequently, he and his workers had campaigned for Ayaz Sadiq. He questioned why, now that he has regained his original constituency, he should not contest his traditional home constituency.

Sources said that Sheikh Rohail Asghar emphasised that he had not submitted nomination papers from any other constituency, leaving him with no other option but to contest the election from this constituency.

In the meeting, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq presented data on his old and new constituencies before the Parliamentary Board. Ayaz Sadiq claimed that about 56% of his old constituency was included in NA-121. He, however, said that he was committed to party discipline and would accept every decision of the leadership regarding the ticket. On the other hand, Sheikh Rohail Asghar immediately left the party meeting after his speech.

Sources indicated that the PMLN leadership was put to the test by the demands of both Sheikh Rohail Asghar and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for tickets from the same constituency. The meeting clarified that Nawaz Sharif himself would make the final decision on the ticket in NA-121 and other seats, attempting to resolve issues between party stalwarts wherever similar situations arose.

Meanwhile, the nomination papers of PMLN leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif were approved for the NA-130 constituency of Lahore, while the nomination of Dr Yasmin Rashid of the PTI from NA-130 was rejected.

Earlier, Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers had also been approved for NA-15, Mansehra.

Similarly, all the nomination papers of Chief Organiser PMLN Maryam Nawaz were approved for all constituencies of Lahore and Sargodha.

Maryam Nawaz had submitted nomination papers for two National Assembly constituencies, NA-119 and NA-120 of Lahore, as well as three constituencies, PP-159, PP-160, and PP-165, and PP-80 in Sargodha. Maryam Nawaz Sharif will contest the election from the constituencies that the party decides.