Prisoner of alliances
Like the PPP earlier, the PML-N too is seeking alliances with a number of parties. Zardari’s policy of reconciliation with all was a need in the case of the PPP which did not have enough MNAs to form the government on its own. The PPP accepted any party which showed willingness to cooperate irrespective of its ideology, programme or past record. While it had a modicum of similarity of views with the ANP, the MQM and PML-Q were known for hostility towards the PPP. But since the PPP had decided to complete its tenure at any price, it continued to yield to the unending demands of its allies. Some of the bad governance that characterised the PPP era emanated from the policy of reconciliation.
It is only in Balochistan where Nawaz Sharif really needs allies. The PML-N has emerged here as the single largest party with 13 seats. It has, therefore, to broker an alliance with some of the other parties to be able to form a government. It has already cobbled together an alliance, comprising the PkMAP and National Party, which provides it enough votes to form government in Balochistan. There is now a talk about including the JUI-F also in the provincial coalition which is resented by the alliance components.
In the National assembly the PML-N is in a better position than the PPP was in 2008. The party has straightaway bagged 124 of the 272 directly elected seats while there is a long queue of independent candidates waiting to join the party. After the elections on the reserved seats have taken place, there is a likelihood of the PML-N emerging as the single largest party in the National Assembly capable of ruling on its own. Shahbaz Sharif has meanwhile extended invitation to JUI-F to join as a coalition partner. What has apparently prompted the PML-N is presumably the concerns about the Senate. In the Upper House, with 104 members, the PML-N has only 15 Senators as against PPP’s 39 and JUI-F’s 7. The support from the religious party could help PML-N in the conduct of the legislative business. The reliance is however likely to tilt the PML-N further towards the right as the JUI-F is opposed to legislation that favours women or religious minorities. If the media reports are to be given credence, the price being demanded by the JUI-F for support is post of the KP Governor, Chair of the Kashmir Committee, two or three federal cabinet posts and the office of the senior minister in Balochistan. The PML-N needs to ask itself if the game is worth the candle. As time passes the religious party is likely to put up more demands. Will the PML-N become a prisoner of its alliances like the PPP and end up with bad governance?
