Election 2018: PPP amid the huddle of alliances and changing affiliations
Upsetting PPP politically through GDA is quite a chance, but to what extent?
By Dunya Election Cell
(WebDesk) Pakistan history witnesses the arraying of numerous alliances, seasonal affiliations and doctoring of opponents to dismantle the puissance of Pakistan People’s Party in Sindh in different eras. According to PPP, the new face of such attempt is Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) which raised its head ahead of General Elections 2018. Can this prove precarious for PPP’s political future?
Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA)
Under the leadership of Pir Pagara, this alliance is not only consisted of leaders from PML-F, but also political stalwarts from other parties have joined hands against PPP. They include: Syed Ghaus Ali Shah, Mumtaz Bhutto, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, ex-Chief Ministers of Sindh, President of Qaumi Awami Tehreek Ayaz Latif Palijo, ex-Interior Minister of Sindh Zulifqar Mirza, his wife Fahmida Mirza, ex-federal minister Ghaus Bakhsh Mehr are prominent ones. Other personalities include: Safdar Abbasi and Naheed Abbasi, Rasool Baksh Palejo, ex-minister Irfan ullah Marwat etc.
Ghaus Ali Shah has substantial political presence in Khairpur district. He will be in a position to give quite a tough time to PPP. On the other side, Mumtaz Bhutto, whose politics revolves around and against Zardari, is ready to challenge PPP in Larkana District.
Zulfiqar Mirza and his wife Fehmida Mirza have been winning from Badin single-handedly. Mirza family even won the local body elections with impressive, unexpected victory.
Moreover, Arbab Ghulam from District Tharparkar and Syed Ghaus Ali Shah from Shakarpur have not only been contesting against PPP and giving it a tough time but they also have been victorious. The interesting thing is that this is the not the first time that such alliances have been formed against PPP.
The other alliances conflluenced against PPP in past
In the general elections of 1988, Jamait-e-Islamic (JI) formed an alliance against PPP namely Islami Jamhoori Ittehad. It was consisted of right-wing parties including JI itself, Pakistan Muslim League and National People’s party. It could gain only 56 seats while PPP attained 94. Another alliance with the name of Islami Awami Ittehad could attain only three seats, an utter failure.
Islami Jamhoori Ittehad became successful in the general elections of 1990 when it bagged 106 seats while PPP only 44.
After that under the leadership of Mumtaz Bhutto alliances like Sindh National Front and Sindh National Alliances were formed but proved futile. General elections of 1993 were no different, and once against right-wing parties raised their head by forming alliances like Pakistan Islamic Front, Islami Jamhoori Mahaaz, Muttahida Deeni Mahaz, and National Democratic Alliance, but they could not outperform.
Photo: File
In 2002, alliances like Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal abbreviated as MMA and Sindh Democratic Alliance were formed but they again failed; albeit, MMA became successful by winning 17 seats.
In 2008, MMA remained active but could not damage PPP in forming government.
Confronting PPP, GDA in prevailing political situation
Keeping in view the contemporary situation, GDA is continually performing its political activities against PPP. Arbab Ghulam Rahim has left his seat NA-229 in favor of Shah Mehoomd Qureshi, one of the topmost wickets of PTI. He further interpolated that more seat adjustments can be made with PTI and MMA.
Also read: General elections 2018: GDA joins hands with PTI in Sindh
Sibghatullah Shah has met Chaudary Shujaat in Islamabad and discussed matters pertaining to seat adjustments in Punjab. This time PPP is really afraid of GDA because of the fact that its prominent leaders are joining it. The interesting thing is that various independent as well as PPP’s candidates are eyeing on GDA’s issuance of tickets to them.
Considering the facts mentioned above, it is pertinent to mention that upsetting PPP politically is quite a chance, but to what extent, only the results of general elections 2018 will interpolate.
