Electioneering in full swing for KP LG polls

PESHAWAR: The electioneering has picked up steam as the local government polls are slated for December 19 in 17 districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The activists of the political parties have started displaying posters, banners and hoardings of candidates in constituencies to woo the voters after the Supreme Court’s verdict that the LG polls should be held as per the announced schedule.

In total, 37,752 candidates are in the run for different categories in city, tehsil, village and neighbourhood councils in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the first phase of the LG polls.

The LG elections in the rest of the KP will be held in the second phase in January for which the names of the returning officers have been announced.

As many as 1,006 candidates have filed papers for the offices of mayor, tehsil chairman across the KP out of which 689 are still in the run while others either withdrew or their papers were rejected.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan 19282 candidates are in the run for the slot of nazim/general councilors in the first phase of the polls. Besides, 3905 candidates are flexing their muscles for the seats for women councillors, 7513 for peasant councilors, 6081 for youth councilors and 282 for minority councilors.

All the candidates in 66 tehsil and city councils as well as 2382 village and neighborhood councils are holding meetings and rallies in their constituencies in full swing after the Supreme Court verdict.

Colourful posters, hoardings and banners have been displayed to attract more support from voters and supporters. Many candidates have also set up temporary offices where a large number of supporters and voters can be seen in the evening.

Male and female contenders along with local political leadership are carrying out door to door campaigns to convince the voters to vote and support in the coming polls.

Leaders of a number of political parties are holding meetings with leadership of other parties to get their support for the slot of mayor as well as chairman tehsil councils.

In Peshawar, leaders of many political parties are in contact with rival politicians to win support for their candidates for the office of mayor Peshawar. Alliances are likely in coming days for the top slot in Peshawar city council and six tehsil of the provincial capital.

There are 76 candidates in the run for the slot of mayor of the city council as well as chairmen of six tehsils of Peshawar. There is no prominent politician in the run for the slot of mayor Peshawar while few seniors have fielded their sons and relatives for the top slot. Mostly new faces are among those in the contest.

The polls were due for long after the LG governments had completed their tenure long ago. This will be for the first time that proper LG polls will be held in the erstwhile Fata which are now part of KP.