ISLAMABAD - The political migratory birds – branded as ‘Lotay’ [Turncoats] - like the migratory birds of Sibera have visibly started flapping their wings for ‘green pastures’.
All the parliamentary political parties in the country, in the mid of every election year of the country, start keeping eyes on their annoyed ‘electables’ - but they have never been completely successful to ‘clip their wings’. Political ‘turncoatism’ has
now become a common phenomenon as not only the neophyte legislators but also major players never shy to switch their loyalty.
The upcoming general polls in the country [which are still doubtful to be held as per the schedule] will expose the future plans of these turncoats, yet some of them came into limelight. The expected flights of the flock of dissidents, mainly from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf [PTI], in other major political parties will definitely be an interesting phase in the fast changing political arena. Unlike the previous political history of the country, the disloyalty of these dissidents was seen much before the election year.
Political gurus viewed that most of them might prefer to land in the ruling party’s camp, as perhaps this might be most comfortable for them.
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) is mainly facing trouble to keep some of their players intact in the party as with the current record breaking price-hike and inflation it would be a challenge to face the voters. Some members of the party, with the pretext of inflation in the country, would distance themselves from the party after the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Pakistan People’s Party [PPP-P], which has shrunk to Sindh, has also been struggling to avoid turncoatism in the party. PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has recently been seen much active in Southern Punjab to revamp the party members.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan is currently enjoying popularity in the country’s political arena. The inflation is undoubtedly one of the reasons behind the growing number of supporters – mainly the youngsters. PTI chief Iman Khan, after facing no-trust motion last year, has made a new record of winning maximum seats in the political history.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) had seemingly sensed the ripples in the political scene one year before the polls. All the major players detached from the camp of MQM once again gathered at one station to contest against their opponents.
The religio-political forces have also been witnessing this phenomenon but as compared to the other major parties their members barely choose new avenues near the elections.
Political gurus viewed that the defection clause was first time imposed on lawmakers in the recent past so the lawmakers would have to keep this political and constitutional trouble in their minds.
All the provinces in the political history have seen politicians changing their loyalties but as per the record Punjab has remained at the top in this regard. With the large number of political dissidents, political experts viewed that opposition leader Raja Riaz, Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar, some tribal leaders from Southern Punjab and others would show their cards near the schedule of the general election of National Assembly.
The MNAs in the current National Assembly (NA) had witnessed a large number of turncoats in the main three major parliamentary political parties. The upcoming parliament will also see such a distribution in all the major political forces. Like the previous practice, the experts believed that the parliamentary political figures would start emerging with their ‘grievances’.
The parliamentarians mainly from the ruling party after failing to get ministerial positions/ chairmanship of standing committee or other slots also prefer to take tickets from some other party.
