LG elections: independents, ANP win majority of seats in Mardan

MARDAN: Independent candidates won 88 seats, the maximum number of seats in Mardan district, while Awami National Party emerged the most successful among political parties by securing 60 chairman seats on different neighbourhood and village councils during the local government elections.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) stood second by winning 48 seats, the ruling party PTI gained only 8 seats, PML-N gained 14 seats, and JI and PPP won 3 seats each. According to the results, elections were held for 227 out of 231 seats. In Mardan tehsil, ANP gained 33 chairman seats, JUI-F gained 17, PML-N gained 2, JI and PPP gained one each, and independent candidates won 34 seats.

In Takhatbhai tehsil, JUI-F gained 15, ANP gained 7, PML-N secured 10, PTI gained 8, JI gained 2, Tahreek Labbaik and PPP gained one seat each while 11 independents were also elected.

In Rustam tehsil, JUI-F and ANP gained 3 seats each, PML-N gained 1 and independent candidates won 19 seats. In Katlang tehsil, JUI-F gained 7 seats, ANP gained 9, PPP, PML-N and Allahu Akbar Tehreek gained one seat each and independents candidates secured 9 seats of village councils.

In Garhi Kapura tehsil, ANP gained 8, JUI-F gained 6 while 12 independent candidates were also elected as chairmen on different VCs. It may be noted that in the 2018 general elections, the PTI had gained 215,595 votes in Mardan district, ANP gained 144,728 votes and JUI-F gained 74,679 votes.

However, in local government elections, JUI-F has increased its vote bank to 160,579 while the PTI’s vote bank decreased to 94,285 and ANP also has its vote bank decreased to 123,227.