PML-Q eliminated, PPP near elimination, PML-N loses Hazara stronghold

ISLAMABAD: In the midst of controversy whether the ruling PTI has manipulated the Saturday’s local government elections in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province the party has yet again regained its vote bank apparently on the basis of its two years’ performance. Imran Khan’s challenge to the opponents to move election commission if they have any solid proof that his party had manipulated these polls puts burden of proof on the complainants.
However his party cannot be absolved of allegations of poor security arrangements. After winning most of district/tehsil councilors seats it now faces the real challenge of a smooth sailing in bringing maximum number of its nazims.
The Saturday’s LG elections, which were marred by violence, casualties and administrative/security lapses and were conducted below mark by ECP in many ways, were still seen as positive sign towards democratic progress and grass root level politics. Preliminary results show many upsets in these polls as some of the major parties were either eliminated or came close to elimination. While the ruling PTI has maintained its popularity, PML-Q has been diminished. PPP, plagued by internal feuds, has come close to near elimination. Qaumi Watan Party has not fared well, while government’s ally Jamaat-e-Islami has gained ground. But Awami National Party has surprised its critics by clinching a large number of seats, while PML-N has lost a number of its strongholds.
PML-Q has failed to win a single seat in district and tehsil councilors election due mainly to organisational weaknesses. Ajmal Khan Wazir, senior vice president of the party, attributes this drubbing to wrong selection of provincial president who failed to field winning candidates in the 2013 general elections and has yet again failed to achieve anything for the party in these elections. Talking to the News he said he had fielded his supporters as independent candidates in Dera Ismail Khan.
Similarly, PPP seems to be close to near elimination although it has saved itself by entering into alliance with JUI-F and ANP, the latter not only won enough seats but also proved that their vote bank was intact.
It is generally said that PTI is far from being an organized party, as it was unable to field sufficient number of candidates in the 2013 general elections and also did not do well in the cantonment elections. It has still lost on a number of seats where it could have won had there been a judicious allotment of tickets. And Imran Khan at his news conference on Sunday admitted the weaknesses, promising to probe the causes of failures.
It was generally believed that the ruling PTI due to its wavering policies and lengthy dharna politics might lose ground to its rivals but it has kept its popularity intact despite the fact that three major parties, ANP, PPP and JUI (F) had joined hands while its ally, Jamaat-e-Islami chose to go solo.
Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao who alienated his group from the main PPP a few years back and formed Qaumi Watan Party must be disappointed by his party’s extremely poor performance. Last but not the least, the PML-N has lost its traditional stronghold Hazara, which could be due party’s failure to form its own government in the province.