Senate polls bringing parties closer, PML-N to maintain lead

• PML-N likely to secure Senate seats for Punjab and Balochistan with PPP and PTI taking the lead in Sindh and KP

In Senate elections, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) is expected to win 18 seats, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) five, Pakistsan People’s Party (PPP) nine, Muttahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) three, Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam – Fazl (JUI-F) four and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) three, it was reported Monday.

As the election comes nearer, political parties have started contacting its coalition partners for introducing its candidates for the Senate slots.

PML-N IN PUNJAB AND BALOCHISTAN:

Analysing the statistics of members of provincial assembly (MPAs) of all political parties in Punjab Assembly, PML-N qualifies for winning all 11 seats of Punjab because PTI has announced not to contest Senate elections. If PTI contests the elections it will win one seat whereas Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q), Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and PPP are not expected to win even a single seat.

As per Balochistan Assembly law, a party needs five votes for winning a Senator seat. PML-N can win four to five seats because it has 22 members in the assembly while PKMAP can win two to three seats. National Party can score two while JUI-F can win about a seat or two.

PPP IN SINDH:

In Sindh Assembly, a party requires 15 members for winning one Senate seat.

According to the law, MQM can win three seats because it has 51 members in the assembly while PPP can win 8 seats given its 91 members. Muslim League-Functional (ML-F) has 11 and PML-N has 8 seats and can only win a seat if they support each other.

PTI IN KP:

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, political parties need 11 members for acquiring one Senate seat. In the assembly, PTI has 56 seats and is expected to win five seats.

Similarly, PML-N and JUI can win three seats if they contest the election jointly whereas Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) can win one seat by incorporating one independent candidate.

Moreover, PPP and Awami National Party (ANP) have five and JI has eight members in assembly, and are expected to win seats if they support each other.

All parties are planning to have more seats in the Senate by having alliances with different parties but final alignment of all parties will be obvious after some days.