LAHORE - Stepping up preparations for the upcoming general elections in the city, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has also worked out a strategy to woo back its disgruntled activists.
Sources say following the instructions of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, the party leaders have enhanced their contacts with the workers from all wings to perform the pre-elections duties, especially enrolling youth. The sources claim that the party has directed its members to enlist the activists who defected to other political parties, particularly PTI, and woo them back.
They say a meeting took up the issue focusing on the two national assembly seats and a provincial assembly one where the defection has been on the rise.
From the recent rallies against loadshedding in the city, the leadership analysed the situation and marked the constituencies where workers need mobilisation, the sources say, adding that the party has been focusing on the city for the upcoming elections, as the PTI, besides the PPP, is being deemed as a serious challenge to the party. The PPP alone holds 11 seats of the total 13 in the city.
The city has been considered a stronghold of the PML-N since 1990. Even in the 2002 elections under former president Pervez Musharraf, the party clinched four seats in the city. The sources say a committee has been appointed to assess the party strength not only to maintain the current number of seats but also to regain the two it lost to the PPP in the February 2008 elections.
PML-N Lahore President MNA Muhammad Pervez Malik said:  “The preparation-cum-campaign for the upcoming elections has begun in the city with the completion of organisation of the party in addition to stepping up contacts with the party workers.”
He said the PML-N activists, who had changed their loyalty and had joined the PTI, were rejoining the party while many PTI leaders and workers were coming to PML-N’s fold, improving its vote bank. Moreover, he added that the newly-enrolled young voters are being reached out. He expressed a strong hope of achieving remarkable results in the upcoming elections. To a question, he said a large number of aspirants who seek party ticket and potential candidates were under consideration.
He said if seat adjustment or alliance reached with the JI, the party leadership might consider adjusting its candidates in the city along with other parts of the country.