In an effort to capitalise on the loosening grip of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) on the Unification Bloc in Punjab Assembly, Chaudrys of Gujrat have started their efforts afresh to woo its disgruntled lot back into the fold of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid.
Pakistan Today has learnt that Chaudhry brothers have once again reopened their doors to the Unification Bloc members, who parted ways with their parent party, PML-Q, under the influence of certain quarters but now they seem ready to reconsider and revise their decision.
After the damage caused by the ‘tsunami’ of Imran Khan to its political rival PML-N and increasing political uncertainty, PML-Q has re-launched a drive to woo back its breakaway faction. It is notable that the Unification Bloc that was created some four years ago from with the PML-Q and it remained intact for over three years but the ‘expectations’ of a majority of breakaway faction members could not be materialised and the group was neither accommodated in the Punjab cabinet nor were they granted some ‘special incentives’. As a result, some lobbyists within the Unification Bloc have also begun to flex their muscles either to join the PTI to share the political windfalls likely to fall in Khan’s lap in the near future or return back to the Chaudhrys. In this regard, several contacts between the PML-Q and the dissentients have been reported so far.
The fresh contact was made by Unification Bloc’s member Dildar Cheema who hosted a lunch for Chaudhry brothers on Friday here and PML-Q leadership reciprocated the gesture affectionately and attended the lunch with open heart. Political analysts are now saying that it may be beginning of another set back to PML-N who was already in a shocking position with many of its stalwarts already leaving the party in the lurch. On the other hand, it seems that the beleaguered PML-N is about to suffer another political blow as the Unification Bloc which has been loyal to the Sharifs, now seems eager to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). Even some reports have appeared that they have started organising meetings to convince their fellow bloc members to abandon the Sharifs, “who never reciprocated their gesture for the PML-N” and urging them to join Khan’s army to secure their political careers. Most of the bloc members, who had been dormant and had had grievances against the Punjab government, are now said to be in close contact with one another and it seems that they are trying to hash out a strategy in the light of the country’s changing political scenario. Finding the situation favourable, the PML-Q has started to woo the bloc’s member, a PML-Q leader, seeking anonymity, told this scribe. He said the Unification Bloc was eager to decide about their political future soon. He said the softening of Chaudhrys’ hearts for the bloc’s members was a good omen and many Unification Bloc members might rejoin PML-Q in days to come. They said it was also being speculated that Dildar Cheema was joining PTI but his meeting with Chauhdrys proved what was actually going on.
