Dec 25 , 2015
News
PTI’s rigging mantra gone with Tareen’s victory in NA-154
By Tariq But
Over-confidence led to PML-N defeat in by-poll; Tareen silences critics with winISLAMABAD: As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the Lodhran seat with a resounding margin, its unsubstantiated and phony claim that some 50,000 votes were transferred from this constituency ahead of the by-poll to defeat it was gone with the wind.
Simply because the PTI clinched the seat, it did not resort to the rigging mantra, which has been its favourite pastime after every election it lost. The same, old Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Database & Registration Authority (Nadra), which it has been thrashing hook, line and sinker, were in place when the PTI embraced success.
All the misplaced apprehensions, fears and allegations of the PTI that the government and the ECP would rig the by-election to NA-154 Lodhran stood nailed as the exercise was most fair, free and transparent as before. It accepted the result only because it was successful. Had it been routed, it would have resorted to its previous hackneyed, unproven accusations.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which is licking its wounds caused by the humiliation, appreciably accepted the outcome without mincing words. However, it claimed that the big money was the fundamental factor in the victory and defeat.
After several setbacks and failures in a row, the PTI finally got something – impressive victory of its senior leader Tareen - to rejoice and cheer.
The outcome of the fiercely fought Lodhran by-poll was stunning and striking for many. Particularly, the PML-N was flabbergasted and shell-shocked. It had adopted a kind of laid-back approach after consecutive successes in by-elections and local government polls and was exuding over-confidence.
The extraordinary triumph may help elbow the PTI out of the state of demoralisation and deflation it has been in owing to a number of disappointments in the recent weeks.
There are many noteworthy features of the Lodhran scramble. One, the turnout was massive, more than that of the 2013 general elections. Both the winner and loser secured many thousands votes more than they had previously bagged. Tareen clinched over 60,000 ballots than his old tally, 75,955 votes, while Siddique Baloch got 14,000 ballots more than his earlier gain, 86,177 votes.
Tareen’s lead was phenomenal, surpassing by several thousands the victory margin of Baloch in 2013. The PTI leader now won by a great edge of 39,000 votes over his rival.
Two, neither Baloch nor his father had ever lost any election in Lodhran while fighting as independents or on the ticket of the political parties. In 2013, Baloch had trounced both the PTI and PML-N representatives as an independent. This time, the PML-N ticket proved a liability for him as he had to bite the dust.
Three, Tareen, assisted by two public meetings addressed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, ran an effective campaign in which the lavish use of money was no secret. He was hardly helped by any other senior leader of his party.
In reality, some of them wanted him to be beaten down by his rival so that he no more relishes in the clout and influence he enjoys in the party for being close to Imran Khan. Now when Tareen has proved himself to be a formidable, credible winner, his position in the PTI will not only remain unchanged, but will solidify than before. He has silenced his party critics.
It was asserted that in the past Tareen had been landing in the National Assembly from Rahim Yar Khan exclusively because of the courtesy of his brother-in-law and business partner Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood, since estranged with him. However, he can now rightly argue that he doesn’t need anybody’s crutches to prevail.
Four, the beating of the PML-N was apparently a blowback of the recent local elections. In every union council, the winning chairman generally has 60pc to 70pc votes cast against him, which are taken away by his challengers. In such a scenario, it was easy for Tareen to cultivate these rivals and influential losers by making different offers and win their support for the by-election. In NA-154, the PML-N had got a predominant majority of seats of the chairmen of the union councils and councilors in the local polls only a few backs back.
On the face of it, the PML-N, among other factors for its crush, remained content with this majority and thought that the public following the winning chairmen and
councilors have will be sufficient to get Baloch elected easily.Five, PML-N may take an unconvincing stand that the Lodhran seat did not belong to it because it was an independent (Baloch), who had taken it in 2013 while its own nominee, Rafiuddin Bokhari, had lost. But this time it made every effort for Baloch’s success. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif himself distributed subsidy checks among small landholders in Lodhran and announced a multibillion package for development in the district. Besides, prominent PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz Sharif hectically campaigned for Baloch.
Six, it is a hard fact that anybody who did not have the kind of coffers full of money that Tareen had would have been defeated by Baloch, who can’t be wished away by all permutations and due to his vote-bank. Since his victory in 2013, luck had not been favouring Baloch as he was first disqualified for life and unseated by the Multan election tribunal. The decision was reversed by the Supreme Court. Then, when he was in the midst of his election campaign, he faced a temporary bar from the Lahore High Court, which was subsequently undone. Tareen successfully kept him confused and embroiled in litigation, distracting his attention from the constituency for a considerable time.
Seven, among the wealthiest leaders of the PTI, Tareen has ultimately made it to the National Assembly while another fabulously rich party man, Abdul Aleem Khan, failed to win from Lahore against Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq despite using all his sources and resources.
Eight, it was unfair on the part of Imran Khan not to show a big heart and give credit to the ECP and Punjab government for organising extremely smooth, orderly, peaceful and manipulation-free by-election. He reserved his acclaim exclusively for the army. Thousands of policemen and Rangers personnel, who performed election duty, found no mention.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk