Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) may find it a challenge to form the next government on its own, given that anecdotal surveys indicate that no party will get an overall majority on 25 July, political pundits in all three major parties told Business Recorder.
Out of the total 272 tickets issued to contest the general elections for the National Assembly by the PTI, around 80 have been awarded to those who joined the PTI in recent months and are considered electable politicians - or around 29 percent of the total.
The exodus of at least 80 electables from the two status quo parties reflects their perception that neither the PML-N nor the PPP would be in a position to form the next government; but while electables seek to join the party that they expect will form the next government yet they are quick to leave the party and join ranks with another willing and able to give them what they want, PTI stalwarts told Business Recorder on condition of anonymity. No one has more experience or inclination to manipulate electables than Asif Ali Zardari, PPP leaders maintain.
Terming it the 'policy of reconciliation' Asif Ali Zardari showed a clear penchant and prowess in determining 'the right price' for getting the loyalty of electables, informed sources within the party told Business Recorder on condition of strict anonymity. And Zardari's statement that there is no last word in politics and that once the election results are known new political alliances can come into being indicates he feels he is in the game to form a government in the centre.
In contrast PTI chairman Imran Khan has refused to form a coalition with PPP in case of a hung parliament and stated that he would rather sit in opposition; however 'Khan also ridiculed these electable turncoats at one time and changed his mind and took them on board, so he may change his mind again,' party insiders stated.
Talking to Business Recorder, senior PTI Arif Alvi said the party chairman has already explained the position with regard to any future alliance or coalition. However, he defended the decision of the party's parliamentary board in distribution of the tickets, adding the party leadership is making efforts to address the concerns of the workers.
To a question about awarding the tickets to majority of the electables leading to ongoing protests for ignoring old loyalists, he said all those who have joined the party will abide by party policies in the future, adding that all the party leaders are bound to follow polices formulated by the central leadership.
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