PPP, Punjab and Bilawal

Alarming indifference

That the PPP is fast losing ground in Punjab is no longer breaking news. The decline can be traced back, in fact, to before the ’13 general election rout. And it has been visibly downhill ever since. Yet the leadership remains indifferent, which is alarming. Some in Punjab hoped that the thrashing at the local body polls would finally prompt Bilawal to follow through on his long-announced visit and reorganisation. But the leadership has decided to cancel the party’s traditional founding day function in Lahore for the first time.

According to press reports, even party workers find this strategy difficult to understand. Sherry Rehman could not convince mid- and lower-level workers that the function – which has been held every year since ZAB founded the party – would distract them from local body elections. The workers, instead, contend that the defeat in the first phase necessacitated direct intervention from the top leadership to breathe fresh life into the party. Now, it seems, PPP’s many problems in Punjab – infighting, defections, management breakdown, etc – will remain unaddressed at least for the foreseeable future.

Surprisingly, the party hierarchy does not seem much wiser even as the downside has worsened. When Bilawal promised to come to Lahore but his father sent him to London instead. Now, again, much talk has been followed by a sudden retreat. Bilawal seems to have been advised to concentrate on Sindh for the time being – where it is imperative to maintain their strength – and leave Punjab for another election as Zardari remains away. That, of course, would erode the party’s footprint further in Punjab, which is unfortunate. Party leaders’ inaction is allowing a prominent national party to disintegrate; and it won’t be long before similar problems appear in Sindh. PPP’s fall from grace will have a significant social spillover as well. It is, despite its faults, a much needed left-of-centre voice in mainstream politics. Bilawal, and his advisors, must reconsider their strategy and choose better options for Punjab.