The race is on
After being reduced to just 64 National Assembly seats the PML-N is trying to minimise the damage by somehow retaining its government in Punjab. All the PTI needs is seven to ten seats and they will have completely crushed the N-league in both the centre and their home turf Punjab. No wonder then that both parties are running from pillar to post in order to woo the twenty something independent candidates who will mull offers from both sides. Although Hamza Shahbaz knows the province and its MPAs very well as his father Shehbaz Sharif ran the show there for close to ten years it is a tougher task for the PML-N to make a government in Punjab than it is for the PTI.
Having control at the centre and being perceived as the party of choice of the ubiquitous establishment; most independent candidates will prefer the PTI. The PPP has announced that it will not make an alliance with any party hence they will remain in opposition with their six seats. That leaves the PML-Q that has seven seats up for grabs. If the independents are split between the N-league and PTI Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, head honcho of the Q-league, will be the deciding factor. As much as he loathes the Sharifs he will certainly ask for his pound of flesh from Imran Khan before merging with them in the Punjab. He could even be eyeing the top slot, of Chief Minister. Then there are also those forces that ‘convinced’ many PML-N parliamentarians to switch loyalties prior to the elections. It would be unfortunate that those elements come into play once more rather than let things resolve themselves within the conventions of politics.
PTI is much more likely to come out on top but for Khan that will be only half the battle won. Three to four senior members of his party are eyeing the top slot in Punjab. It will be his first major decision as Prime Minister. Hopefully he chooses the right person for the job.
