Zardari in last-ditch effort to woo Chaudhry Shujaat

LAHORE: PPPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has been making all-out efforts to woo PMLQ chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to make Pervaiz Elahi a joint candidate of PMLN and PMLQ for the Punjab CM’s slot.

Asif Ali Zardari has been staying at Ch Shujaat’s residence for the last many hours in his last ditch effort to save the day for the coalition partners and to save Punjab for the PMLN. Earlier, he visited the residence of PMLQ chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and held two meetings with him over today’s Punjab Chief Minister’s election.

Both the leaders agreed to continue as coalition partners of PMLN. However, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and his son Chaudhry Moonis Elahi did not hold a meeting with Zardari. Sources said Asif Zardari sent a message for a meeting but Elahi and Moonis refused to meet him. The presence of Asif Ali Zardari in Lahore, just a day before one of the most crucial elections of Punjab’s history, has raised many speculations.

Sources close to Pervaiz Elahi said that the Punjab Assembly speaker has made it clear that he was Imran Khan’s candidate for the Punjab CM elections. As per the numbers game, PTI and PMLQ are ahead. If five to six MPAs of opposition skip today’s election, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif could make an upset.

Meanwhile, Minister for Railways and PMLN leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said whether Hamza Shehbaz wins the election for the Punjab CM or Pervaiz Elahi, constitution violator Imran Khan will face a defeat.

Earlier, addressing the PPP Parliamentary party meeting, Asif Ali Zardari said the PPP rejects politics of money and efforts were to be made to get Hamza Shehbaz elected as Punjab CM. He said that he had convinced Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to nominate Pervaiz Elahi as a joint candidate for Punjab CM’s slot but Elahi ditched him and went to Imran Khan’s camp.

He said the PPP stands with the PMLN and will try its best to get Hamza Shehbaz elected as Punjab CM. He said that he rejects politics of money. He said if Hassan Murtaza would have been a candidate for Punjab CM, he would have used money to garner support for him. Why he should spend money on Hamza Shehbaz, he asked.

Meanwhile, Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah dispelled the impression that Pervaiz Elahi would be the joint candidate of PMLN and PMLQ for the Punjab CM’s slot. He said that it was just a rumour and there was no truth in it.