Will Zaradri’s arrival make a difference?
The results of 2013 general elections made it abundantly clear that the PPP had lost political support in all the provinces except Sindh. The PPP’s downhill journey continued even after the elections when many party loyalists in Punjab criticised the leadership for turning the PPP into a B-team of the government while others joined the PTI or became inactive. Internal rivalries led to shouting matches at PPP’s 47th foundation day in Bilawal House Lahore where rival factions continued to shout slogans against senior leaders from Punjab ignoring Asif Ali Zardari’s appeals to maintain discipline.
During the last three years PPP’s top leadership didn’t go beyond making promises to tour Punjab, KP and Balochistan to reorgnise the party chapters. Party units were finally disbanded in April 2016 but it took eight months to nominate provincial leaders in Punjab while district office holders are yet to be selected. While top leaders of all other parties have moved from province to province speaking at public meetings in various cities, the PPP leadership has not addressed any large gathering in Lahore, Peshawar or Quetta.
The PPP possesses the largest number of articulate parliamentarians with a moderate world view. They have kept the party alive in the parliament and media. Most of them however lack a constituency of their own and can win a seat only if an active PPP is on their back.
Unlike Benazir Bhutto, Zardari will have to work doubly hard to command the unquestioned allegiance of party leaders or workers. Asif Ali Zardari is a shrewd wheeler and dealer and a past master of making alliances. His skills can be of use only if the PPP can get a significant number of seats in the next elections, particularly in Punjab. Leading the masses, addressing the crowds or putting life in a disheartened party is a task yet unfulfilled. His physical presence however likely to make is his availability to the party for advice at Bilawal Houses spread over the country.
Zardari’s arrival will do more harm than good. He will not return however. If he does ,it will be to pick Ayyan Ali. Regarding his political future one can only say that most crooks operate the way he does.
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