Intra-party rivalries and groupings within Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are affecting the election campaigns of most PML-N ticket holders, including new and old ones.
An Interesting situation is developing in several constituencies where PML-N candidates are not only facing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates but also their own party men who are not ready to withdraw, despite being denied party tickets.
The other day PML-N leader Shoaib Niazi opened his election office in front of PML-N’s Rana Mashood, former deputy Speaker and party candidate from Lahore.
Niazi’s supporters are also threatening to bring out a white paper against Mashood.
A party insider told Pakistan Today that a similar situation prevails in many constituencies, with PML-N ticket holders pitted against their own party members.
This is making it difficult for genuine ticket holders to build their campaign with divided workers.
Initially, the party’s senior leadership took the situation lightly or overlooked it entirely. But with complaints starting to mount, a committee has been formed on the instruction of Ishaq Dar to look into divisions inside the party at a constituency level.
A source said in order to cool down rebels and withdraw them from contesting the Sharifs would have to intervene themselves.
Similarly, new comers in the line-up from Lahore, those who received tickets for the first time, are also groping in the dark. The party has decided in their favour and awarded them tickets but the party network of workers and supporters in the constituencies has not yet reconciled.
Sources told Pakistan Today there are 13 such constituencies including three National Assembly (NA) seats where serious rifts exist.
A senior party leader said party leaders would soon overcome these differences but for the time being the party’s campaign is not making any waves in the city due to cribbing in the party’s rank and file.