Electables At Work

Changing parties in the election season or during any political crises has become a notorious trend

Quetta: A race among the electables of Balochistan to join the powerful political parties in the country has begun, surprisingly much before the completion of the incumbent assemblies’ tenure.

These electable are keen to join those political parties which have a lot of clout and have a bright chance of making the government after the 2023 general elections.

It has become a trend for such people, once known as the turncoats and now as electables, to change their loyalties like the direction of wind. Changing parties in the election season or during any political crises – both at the Center or in the provinces – has become a notorious trend with them and they cash in on the situation by brazenly demanding their price.

In recent weeks, a number of personalities including former Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and some ex MPAs have joined Jamiat Ulema Islam (Fazal), which has set the alarm bells ringing for all those who are members of national and provincial assemblies in the province – that the season of catching the next bandwagon has commenced.

After the Jamiat’s boastful claims of accepting these personalities in its fold, another group comprising some members of the provincial assemblies belonging to ruling Balochistan Awami Party have now decided to join the Pakistan People’s Party.

After holding a series of detailed discussions with the PPP leadership, three provincial assembly members of the ruling Balochistan Awami Party have decided to announce their affiliation with the PPP. They include Mir Arif Jan Mohammad Hasani, Mir Saleem Khoso and Zahoor Buledi, all are ex-ministers and belong to the group of Jam Kamal, the former chief minister.

Jam, who was ousted after two years in the office with the full support of Chairman Senate Sadiq Sunjrani, is also in contact with PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari through his relative, MNA Amir Magsi.

Sunjrani, who knows the art of maneuvering well and is quite adept at the sale/purchase of political loyalties, is now facing a tense situation. He is running from pillar to post to save his position of the Chairman Senate since the PDM components are said to have decided in principle to remove him through a vote of no confidence.

He desperately had pinned his hopes on PTI but has now lost its support after the Azam Sawati episode.

Jamiat, which is presently the second largest group with its 11 members behind the ruling BAP (who has 24 members) is likely to emerge as the single largest group in the next elections that will enable it to form a ruling coalition.

Because of having a majority in the Balochistan Assembly, a member of the Baloch ethnic group can become chief minister in the province. The Jamiat hitherto had no suitable Baloch candidate, particularly a heavy weight from the tribal lot.

In the history of the province, a Baloch and that ,too, a tribal chieftain has always been selected as the Chief Minister of Balochistan.

However, Nawab Mohammad Khan Barozai is an exception. He remained the chief minister in the 1970s, but used to say that though he is a Pashtoon by birth, he is Baloch by traditional and custom.

Similarly, both Dr. Malik Baloch and Mir Qudoos Bezenjo, who were among the commoners, became chief ministers. But now, a strong and suitable candidate for the office of chief minister is available to Jamiat in shape of Aslam Raisani.

More members from the ruling BAP are expected to quit their party and join the PPP. It may be mentioned here that BAP was formed a few months before the 2018 elections by “Islamabad” after bringing all the electables to its fold with the clear aim to counter the nationalist groups particularly the Baloch ones.

A total of sixteen members got elected in the elections, but BAP’s strength rose to 24 after grabbing women and minority seats besides the inclusion of some independent MPAs in the party.

The party was divided into two groups — one led by Sadiq Sunjrani, the Chairman Senate, and the second by former Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani. Obviously, both Sunjrani and Chief Minister Bezenjo so far enjoy the confidence of the party’s majority members simply because both are in power.

However, their influence may soon evaporate once the party MPAs and personalities join the PPP in a sizeable number. Since it seems that there is no more utility left of BAP in the eyes of Islamabad in the prevailing situation, its MPAs and MNAs and even the senators may join the PPP with the approval of Islamabad.

Nawab Sanaullah Zahri, the former Chief Minister and Lt Gen (R) Qadir Baloch, the ex-Governor and a number of political personalities have already joined the PPP.

There are also possibilities that those assembly members of BAP besides the other central leaders who may not fit in the PPP may opt to join the PML(N) with hopes of returning to the next assemblies post 2023 general eletions.

If Jam Kamal is assured to be considered for the office of Chief Minister Balochistan in next term by the PPP leadership, he may also join the PPP. Otherwise he will be trying for affiliation with the PML (N) by putting the same demand before its leadership to make him the CM. Just for the record, Jam Kamal was a member of the PML(N) as a state minister in Mian Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet, but left the party in 2017.

As for PTI, it has seven members of the provincial assembly and three MNAs including a female member. Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind who has the support of his lady MPA and another member Mir Niamatullah Zahri, is publicly speaking against Imran Khan and his policies. However, the other four members, who are provincial ministers, and the deputy Speaker are said to have reposed their full confidence in party leader Imran Khan and are ready to follow the instructions of the party in the wake of dissolution of Punjab and KPK assemblies. Rind, who is said to be sharing a close rapport with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, is also in contact with the latter for joining the party. If he and Jam Kamal join the PPP then it could trigger the start of a race of sorts among the prospective candidates for the CM office between Zahri, Jam Kamal and Rind.

The political pundits believe that both JUI-F and PPP may emerge as the major groups in the wake of the next elections and may form a coalition government with the help of smaller groups like the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), National Party, Awami National Party, Hazara Democratic Party and the Jamhoori Watan Party.

Having said that, the chances of a JUI-led government appear bleak as the PPP may have more seats than JUI in the elections after so many electables joining in.