KARACHI - The PPP may face more defections within the party for its preference in awarding tickets to the candidates, who recently joined the party ahead of announcement of elections.
Besides preference to the newly joined ‘feudal lords’ in the party, the loyalists leaders and workers, who spent their whole life in the party are not happy with the increasing influence of President Asif Ali Zardari’s foster brother Awais Muzaffar Hashmi, who is famous with his nick name of ‘Tappi’.
Though, parliamentary board led by PPP Sindh president and former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has finalized the list to 90pc of candidates on the national and provincial constituencies in the province for the upcoming election to be held on May 11 this year.
President Zardari’s sister and former MNA Faryal Talpur, Awais Muzaffar Hashmi alias Tappi, Agha Siraj Durrani, Pir Mazharul Haq and other leaders also attending the consultative meetings to finalize the names of the candidates for the next polls.
The party has finalised the candidates on four national and eight provincial constituencies of Larkana and Qambar districts of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. Muhammad Ali Bhutto has been given go ahead by PPP for its candidate on NA-204 Larkana, while Abdul Fatah Bhutto would be his covering candidate. In 2008 elections, Shahid Bhutto was PPP’s candidate on same constituency and had won the elections, but now he was ignored and deprived of party ticket, so he has submitted nomination forms as independent candidate on the same constituency of Larkana.
The PPP has decided to repeat the old winning candidate Nazeer Ahmed Bughio on NA-205 Larkana’s Naseerabad, Warah and Dokri constituency while his brother Hizbullah Bughio would be a covering candidate.
Similarly, the PPP would repeat Mir Amir Magis on NA-206 Qambar constituency, who won in 2008 elections. However, differences emerged among the PPP as Sardar Chandio, who recently joined the party, demanded ticket for NA-206, however, sources told The Nation that Faryal Talpur would negotiate with Chandio to convince him by accommodating on provincial seat.
Meanwhile, Faryal Talpur would be PPP’s candidate on NA-207 constituency comprising of Shahdadkot and Ratodero, which was the old constituency of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto while Sindh’s former law minister Ayaz Soomro would be her covering candidate.
According to sources, Haji Altaf Unar, who recently quit the PML-Q joined the PPP, would be party’s candidate on PS-35 Larkana, while Ghulam Sarwar Syal, who won in 2008 has decided to go against party’s decision by contesting election as independent candidate.
It is expected that former district Larkana nazim Khurshid Junejo likely would be candidate of PPP on the PS-35 Larkana, however the priority would be given to new entry of Haji Altaf Unar.
Sindh Assembly’s Speaker Nisar Ahmed would contest election from PS36 Larakana city on PPP ticket.
Though, the PPP is considering few names on the PS-37 Ratodero, however one of candidate from former law minister Ayaz Soomro or Sardar Amir Bhutto would contest on above constituency. In last 2008 elections, Ayaz Soomro won the election against Mumtaz Bhutto’s son Amir Bux Bhutto. It is expected that both will contest against each other in upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, PPP has decided to award ticket to Haji Munwar Abbasi on PS38 Miro Khan-Larkana, attaching a condition for him to not support his younger brother Safdar Abbasi, husband of Naheed Khan, who approached Election Commission for registering their PPP, but request was turned down by the election commission.
It is not clear whether Haji Munwar Abbasi would stand in side with the PPP of Asif Zardari or will go with his younger brother Safdar Abbasi, however, PPP has decided to keep Qamaruddin Gopang on standby as option to field him to replace Munwar Abbasi in the next elections.
The PPP has decided to repeat the old winning candidates-Haji Mujadid Isran on PS39 Larkana-Qambar and Mir Nadir Magsi on PS40.  
However, Sardar Chandio, who recently joined the PPP, would be candidate of party on PS42-Larkana, where Najamuddin Abdo won on PPP ticket in 2008.
Meanwhile, the names of the candidates on four provincial and two national constituencies of Badin district have been finalized by PPP.
Sources said that Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and his wife National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza given priority in choosing the candidates in Badin district. According to sources, Dr Fehmida would contest election on NA-225 Badin while Kamal Chang would be party’s candidate on NA-224. Chang is secretary general of PPP of Badin district and close aide of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, who is given preference in awarding ticket on NA-224 against Ghulam Ali Nizamani, who won in 2008 elections. Nizamani was close aide of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, but PPP’s decision-makers went with the suggestion of Mirza couple by ignoring the nominee of Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
On six provincial seats, the PPP has decided to repeat three candidates-Hasnain Ali Mirza son of Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza on PS-57 Badin, Dr Sikandar Mandhro on PS58 Badin city and Muhammad Nawaz Chandio on PS59 Badin-Golarchi.
The PPP has decided to field new entries-Bashir Halepoto on PS56 Badin and Mir Allah Bux Talpur on PS55 Badin by ignoring earlier candidates-Mir Hussain alias Mir Babu Talpur and Bashir Khan Leghari, who won in 2008 elections.
Both hopefuls, who were ignored by the PPP leadership, have decided to go against the party’s decision in the elections.
Similarly, Nawab Ghani Talpur, who have been entering in the national assembly for many times from NA231 Old Dadu-Jamshoro constituency, also decided to go against the party in the next election as he was ignored by the party in awarding tickets.
Ghani Talpur has announced to contest election against the President Asif Ali Zardari’s brother-in-law Mir Munwar Ali Talpur on national assembly seat.
Meanwhile, party may face more defections in Thatta, where new entries of Shirazi brothers given priority in awarding tickets. Of six provincial and two national seats, the Shirazi bothers, who recently quit the PML-Q and joined the PPP, would given ticket to contest on one national and three provincial assemblies from PPP.
The PPP’s old guards are not happy with the party’s decision of giving priority to the new entries, while the situation for the PPP is same in Ghotki, where Dharejo brothers not happy with giving priority to Mahar brothers in the PPP.
This would be the first time, when PPP would face more defections and resentment in elections as according to them, the loyal leaders and workers were ignored by the party in awarding tickets for elections.