Number crunch: How can opposition turn tables on PTI in chief minister election?

On directive of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur has resigned as the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sparking the process of electing a new chief executive in the province.

Sohail Afridi has been nominated for the chief minister’s office by the ruling KP party — PTI. But this decision, as simple as it may seem, is actually as complex as it can get.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has received the resignation of Gandapur. After approval, the governor will call a session of the KP Assembly, in which the formal process of dissolving the current government and electing a new chief minister will begin, Aaj News reported.

Now the question is, will the PTI be able to easily elect its own chief minister?

Gandapur resigns as KP chief minister

Number game

There are a total of 124 seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and 73 votes are required to be elected as the chief minister.

The total number of PTI members is 92, but 35 of them have independent status, meaning they are not legally bound by the PTI’s directives. Moreover, there are reports of the submission of affidavits of 22 members, which indicates the possibility of division within the party’s internal ranks.

Meanwhile, the opposition has 53 members, and if it gets just 20 more votes, it could turn the tables. The opposition parties, led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Dr Ibadullah Khan, have called an emergency meeting to reach a consensus on finalising name of one candidate.

Political meetings

Afridi, who is poised to become the next chief minister, has been active for the past 28 hours to win support from the allies. He has met KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem, ministers and party leaders. The party leadership wants to convince all members in favour of Afridi to avoid a split of votes.

On the other hand, the opposition is also active. Opposition parties are in contact with independent members and are potentially trying to form a coalition that can challenge the PTI’s majority.

If independent members sided with the opposition, the situation could change dramatically.

Gandapur shown the door unceremoniously

Looking at the situation, this election will be no less than a test for the 36-year-old PTI candidate. Internal differences within the PTI, the position of independent members, and the vote manipulation of the opposition will all combine to determine who will be the next chief minister.

Who is Sohail Afridi?

The PTI has nominated Afridi, a first-time MPA from Khyber district, to replace Gandapur as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister.

Afridi, elected from PK-70, is a member of PTI’s central executive committee and previously led the party’s student wing, the Insaf Students Federation (ISF), in KP.

In the current setup, he first served as the special assistant to the CM for communication and works, before being appointed the minister for higher education. Known for his long association with PTI’s student and youth wings, Afridi has gradually risen through the party ranks.

Confirming the development in Rawalpindi, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Wednesday said the party was making “a fresh start” and that the assembly would elect Afridi as the new chief minister.

Afridi was born on July 12, 1989, in Khyber district.