LAHORE – The PTI leaders who developed differences with top party leadership over the issue of rigging in the intra-party polls staged a token protest in front of party chief’s residence on Friday.
Scores of activists of Ideological Group and Tsunami Change Group, besides other party activists assembled at the residence of PTI chairman, Imran Khan to meet with him to demand re-polling on all the party offices for Lahore metropolitan and its towns, besides the tehsils of the district. The Ideological Group and Tsunami Change Group backed and independent runners for the party slots of president and secretary, Lahore metropolitan alleging the Unity Group for making massive rigging in the second phase of party polls have been demanding of the party’s high command for re-election in Lahore since the conclusion of the process in the City on February 26.
A PTI leader who was part of party’s angry members gathering outside party chairman’s residence said, “The gathering was organized by various party leaders to meet Imran to convey their sentiments about the party polls and demanding re-polling in Lahore had turned into a token protest against the rigging of the Unity camp when some workers raised slogans against the dirty tricks of builders group in the party to make their way to the top without rendering a single sacrifice for the party”.  Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed one of the old guard members, when contacted said, “The party workers assembled at PTI chairman’s residence to express their serious concerns over the rigging in the party polls for Lahore and a little protest doesn’t mean anything negative”.
About the PTI election commission’s decision for re-polling on all the party offices of Lahore except president and secretary, he said, “Holding re-polling in Lahore excluding president and secretary slots were just a proposal and re-election will be carried out on all the seats”.
He said, “I along with my colleagues will demand from Imran Khan re-polling on all the party slots of Lahore when we meet the party chairman”.
Mehmood added that Imran expected to meet the estranged party members including him today (Saturday) or tomorrow (Sunday) to listen to their grievances in person.