As the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lock horns and competition between them builds in Punjab, especially to woo important political personalities, the fence-sitters and splinter groups weighing their options before the next general elections, find Imran Khan more appealing than the Sharifs in terms of political dividends.
But Imran Khan’s undeclared policy of discouraging alliance-making and instead encouraging mergers, asking individual politicians to join the party fold, is frustrating for some alliance seekers.
With little room for sole flights in the coming elections, and new alliances and political realignment becoming the name of the game right now, the interested quarters are double-minded where to jump, the PTI or the PML-N, especially in the wake of Khan’s rising political graph.
Most double-minded seem to be the members of the Likeminded group, a splinter group of the PML-Q that wants to maintain a separate identity in any future political understanding.
Party insiders revealed that most party leaders, barring a few exceptions, are in favour of striking a deal with the PTI.
“With the general public disenchanted with the two mainstream political parties, Imran Khan, whose stars are on the rise, seems to be a better option,” commented a senior Likeminded leader.
“But Imran Khan at the moment is not ready to deal with us as a separate entity or ready to make alliance with us. Instead Khan wants us to join his party as a whole or on an individual basis,” he said.
A political figure engaged with the PTI said Imran Khan’s tough line on the issue would nudge the politicians towards the PML-N. However, he claimed that even then the PML-N would be his last choice.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan seems all set to make some stunning announcements at his public meeting in Lahore.
Interestingly, Nawaz Sharif, desperate to find new partners, has relaxed the party policy to accommodate politicians from the PML-Q, even welcoming some close associates of former dictator Pervez Musharraf. But despite his open-door policy, politicians are hardly eager to rush towards the PML-N.
Instead they are either taking their time or preferring the PTI. Shahid Bhindhar from Gujranwala who recently joined the PTI is a prime example. He could have been welcomed by the PML-N given his potential for the election. Even the Likeminded group has set some tough conditions to join PML-N, making it difficult for the party to accept them. As if the group wants to take more time before making a final decision.
“Compulsions of power politics compel us to join the PML-N, but political idealism and talk of bringing change in the country guides us towards PTI,” a senior Likeminded leader said.
Imran more appealing to fence-sitters, groups
