June 03, 2020
It was a tough trail towards the unknown
It was a tough trail towards the unknown — nobody having any idea where it would
lead the party in its quest to re-establish itself. There is no shortage of
people out to ridicule the party as an unwanted item from the past, the more
charitable holding on to memories of its founder for antique value.That was one
deterrent the experts pointed to — the lack of PPP votes in Punjab. However,
provided that the young PPP leader has the stamina to carry on, he might be on
to something here.It’s been a lopsided campaign. The difference between 2002 and
2018 is the PTI challenge now as opposed to the rather meek PML(Q)-PPP
opposition then.In Lahore, as in Punjab overall, this is dull even by PML(N)
standards.For others, the campaign may end in a few days from now. It sometimes
seems as if Shahbaz Sahib is campaigning all by himself and even he is somehow
lacking the confidence that was his trademark when he was in power.BBZ’s run in
Punjab was far from ideal.The election is just a few days away. He should do it
and then see what happens a few years down the road and not be too disappointed
by the vote tally on July 25. To a large extent, their estimates are based on
what they have seen during the election campaign, the past records of parties
offering another very useful source to base their evaluations on.By arrangement
with Dawn. A small spark to hang on to.The feeling amongst everyone is that the
PML(N) voters will come out in large numbers to the surprise of all. There is,
of course, an element of risk here, but that is a choice perhaps the PPP
leadership has already China LED Bulb Light
Series made.Surprisingly, to many, after Imran Khan, it is Bilawal
Bhutto-Zardari who has run a campaign in this build-up to election that is worth
the name.But then, it has to be said that during the tour of BBZ to Punjab and
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, his party has generated more positive vibes through him than
it has in the last five years put together. This is an assertion based on
experience but at the same time the PML(N) leadership has to ensure that its own
cadres do not fall prey to the impression. Now the party needs to find ways in
which BBZ can maintain his presence in Punjab, building on material the two big
parties, the PML(N) and PTI, cannot somehow accommodate in their schemes. Also,
the PPP alleged that its chairman’s caravan was unfairly stopped at a couple of
places — this being one instance among many that have been cited by those who
describe the situation as far from being a level playing field. To Shahbaz
Sharif who is at best aiming for a PML(N)-led coalition government, and at worst
fighting for survival of the Sharif brand. It is a tiny light but light still
with the promise to break the long spell of pitch darkness — so long as BBZ can
control his urge to tip father dear as the next Prime Minister. A glimmer of
hope. The others have not even come close to matching the speed and consistency
of the Kaptaan. His speeches have been, as expected, caustic, a few sentences
earning him a call from the Election Commission to explain his position. At
times, the party appears to be caught between wanting to canvass vigorously and
the belief that it stands no chance of winning this contest in Punjab against
the PTI which is out to overwhelm the proceedings with its very loud and
boisterous antics.That task should be left to the main contenders. His run has
been relentless, and while there are perhaps areas he could not physically reach
out to despite a desire to go there, he can be satisfied with what he has done.
The realities that the PML(N) is faced with have led the party to undertake a
very strange poll campaign.Many in Punjab have consigned the PPP to the dustbin
of history.Someone has likened election 2018 to the general poll held in 2002
when the PML(N) was in a quandary but still managed to win many seats in Lahore,
the most eagerly contested city which formed the basis of the PTI movement
against rigging after the 2013 election. On the way, BBZ was bound to face
challenges, the most serious of them posed by an almost complete erosion of PPP
cadres in parts of Punjab.Imran Khan’s meetings have been well attended,
generally, bar maybe one or two occasions where the crowd was rather thin. Many
would say that he was desperately needed in Sindh, from where reports suggest
that the PPP may be up against problems this time because of an alliance between
the Grand Democratic Alliance and PTI. To Imran Khan who seemingly believes that
he will form a government on his own after the July 25 election. His visit to
interior Sindh was always on the cards but his tour of Punjab (and
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) against great odds has been noticed, even if it is not going
to get the PPP enough votes where it can be considered a threat to domination of
the PML(N) and PTI in the province. People have already decided who they are
going to vote for. Analysts are trying to figure out who is going to win the
contest. For BBZ, it has to continue well beyond that, until other general
elections beckon. The other senior leaders of the PML(N) are there in the
picture, some more active than the others but the overall picture is not one
that fits a party which has so dominated Punjab politics over the last many
years. It was thought that there was not enough potential in the biggest
province for BBZ to waste his precious pre-poll time here, that too in the face
of the security threat that is still there for some parties and their leaders.
Some have written it off many times over
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