PPP yet to decide candidates for slots of district chairmen in Sindh

Internal battle for power

KARACHI: Though, the ruling PPP obviously has won the local government polls in 21 districts out of 29 in Sindh except the Badin district the party is still facing a tough situation in deciding about the top positions of  district council chairmen in almost all the districts.

The PPP has yet to decide to whom they should push back or acknowledge, as almost all the party leaders themselves are in the run within their ranks and influencing to appoint mostly their own family members on such important positions.

The sitting parliamentarians and influential persons are pressurising the party central leadership to nominate their own sons, brothers and family members. These party leaders are reluctant to give any position to other party members.

This lack of unanimity may dent the party or they may lose position, as there are more powerful candidates by other rival parties in all the districts too. In the Jamshoro district, the fight over district chairman’s position is between MNA Malik Asad Sikandar and provincial Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, both powerful leaders of the PPP, who want to nominate their own supporters on the district council chairman position.

Similarly, in Dadu district, there are three groups within the PPP being led by MNA Rafiq Jamali, MNA Imran Leghari and nowadays displeased with the party’s central leadership former Sindh senior minister Pir Mazharul Haq and all they are expecting to have such positions. Again there are other parties and tribal chieftains, who have nominated their own candidates and some may win the seats at lower councils.

In Hyderabad, there are three main players within the PPP like the provincial local government minister Jam Khan Shoro’s brother Kashif Shoro, the party leaders like Roshan Shah and Sher Talpur, who are willing to have posts as district council chairman and taluka/municipal and town committees chairmen.

The Matiari District obviously has been the stronghold of Makhdooms of the PPP but this time the position is different in terms of nominating an agreed candidate for district chairman by Makhdoom family. Sources close to Makhdoom family said Makhdoom Fakhar Zaman, son of late PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim, and former two MPAs Jalal Shah Jamote and Syed Amir Ali Shah are aspiring for the top post of the district but local sources said that position of Jalal Shah Jamote was stronger within the party ranks as main member of Makhdoom family Makhdoom Rafiq Zaman was also supporting Shah instead of his nephew Fakhar Zaman and the internal rift within Makhdooms will benefit Jalal Shah Jamote.

In Thatta, chairmanship positions for district council, district municipal committee and Town Municipal Committee Makli and four other TMAs, there are different powerful candidates within the PPP and they are yet to be decided.

Expected candidates for district council chairman in Thatta by PPP include Ghulam Qadir Paleejo, father of Sasui Paleejo, Hamid Panhwer and some others. In the Sajawal district, there are three powerful candidates belonging to the PPP for chairmanship, including Usman

 Malkani, Arbab Wazir Memon and Shoukat Malkani. The party has yet to decide about the potential candidate.

In Naushehro Feroz district, PPP is yet to decide their candidates for district positions (Jameel Memon). There are more candidates as independents and led by tribal chieftains in this district.

The party also facing the same situation in conventionally strong district of Larkana where Nida Khuhro daughter of Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro and Tariq Sial brother of most powerful minster of Sindh cabinet Suhail Anwar Sial are in the run for district chairmanship.

Likewise, Sajawal, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas and other districts have the challenging situation about the party regarding nominating unanimous candidates despite the fact the party is winning the councillors and chairmen at lower LG institutions like union councils.

Senior PPP leader Senator Aajiz Dhamrah told The News this is quite natural phenomenon as according to him several heavyweights are lying within party ranks and all have mandate, but the perception of internal rifts within party ranks is not correct because party’s central leadership is authorised to decide about this matter and all workers and district leaders are bound to obey the orders.