Caution: Men at work
It does not suit the PPP to play second fiddle to the PTI which is planning yet another exercise to dislodge the PMLN. The PPP being itself in a bad shape knows it will gain nothing in case of premature elections. It wants, therefore, to restrict itself to playing the role of the opposition inside National Assembly and Senate.
The PPP has, over the last few years turned, for all intents and purposes, into a party representing a part of Sindh i.e., the rural areas of the province. The task of reorganizing the party all over the country and to turn it into a national party that it once was poses a serious challenge to the leadership. As a first step it has decided to dissolve the party’s provincial and district level organizations. In Punjab the former party president was nominated for his assumed prowess in wheeling and dealing. That he had never been the member of the PPP was altogether ignored as was the fact that his nomination was opposed by the PPP rank and file. It is not yet clear if the PPP has bidden farewell to Zardari’s policy of preferring smooth operators over straight party leaders.
The PPP cannot hope to attain power without having a strong position in Punjab. The party in the province however continues to remain faction ridden which had become clear when Zardari addressed party workers in Lahore amidst an unending shouting match between factional rivals in December 2014. Will Bilawal be free to take decisions on h is own? Will he be able to display the intellectual and physical energy needed to organize the party? Earlier promises by him to visit all the districts of Punjab were not fulfilled.
Unless the party leadership works over time to engage with the masses with a realistic as well as eye catching program the creation of numerous committees will turn out to be no more than a bureaucratic exercise.