The PML-N-led ruling alliance appears to be in a comfortable position with 52 votes in a 104-member Senate to capture its top slot of chairman despite an indirect alliance between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) for the today's (Monday) crucial contest.
After a weeklong wheeling-dealing by both the opposition and ruling alliance to secure support of independent senators from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and smaller parties in the house, the PPP finally agreed to PTI's demand to give Senate chairmanship to Balochistan in an effort to lessen their sense of deprivation.
On Sunday, the PPP leadership following hours-long huddles under the chairmanship of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the co-chairman Asif Zardari, announced Sadiq Sanjrani, an independent senator from Balochistan, as opposition parties candidate for chairman Senate elections. Salim Mandviwala, a PPP senator, was nominated as candidate for the office of deputy chairman.
The PTI chairman Imran Khan, who had earlier categorically said he would not support any candidate backed by PPP, however, took a U-turn on Sunday and put his weight behind PPP under the pretext of getting elected the new chairman Senate from Balochistan. The PTI now will also vote for PPP candidate Salim Mandviwala, for deputy chairman Senate.
Soon after the announcement by PPP, there were speculations Sanjrani is a close confidant of former president Asif Ali Zardari, who remained in close contact with PPP supremo during the process of dismantling PML-N-led provincial government in Balochistan few months back.
The sources privy to the development told Business Recorder this was the reason why former president was confident in stating that the next chairman Senate would be from PPP.
They said another reason for rejecting PML-N offer to field Raza Rabbani as a consensus candidate was because Zardari wanted a "henchman" as chairman Senate, for which Rabbani was not suitable at all.
The ruling coalition postponed the announcement of its candidates till Monday (today) morning, saying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif himself would announce the names of the candidates for chairman and deputy chairmanship.
Senator Mushahidullah Khan, the central information secretary of PML-N, said they have support of 57 senators and would easily get elected their chairman and deputy chairman despite "Zardari-Niazi" alliance.
On the other hand, the opposition parties also claimed to have support of same number of senators. PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry also claimed 57 senators were on their side and the opposition was in a comfortable position to clinch the top slots.
Answering a question, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said PML-N would come to know on Monday (today) how many senators would support opposition candidates.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has been making hectic efforts during the last few days to bring PPP and PTI closer and finally his efforts paid off with the announcement of Sanjrani as opposition candidate from Balochistan.
A trio of PPP, PTI and independent senators from Balochistan has a total strength of 39 votes (20 senators of PPP, 13 senators of PTI, and six independent senators from Balochistan, while at least 53 votes are needed to get one's nominees elected as chairman and deputy chairman.
A senior PTI leader claimed Balochistan CM and PPP leadership were in close contact with the MQM-P, JI, and independent senators from Fata in their bids to rally their support for joint opposition's candidates. MQM-P has five senators, JI has two, while Fata has seven (as one of the independent Fata senators has already announced his support for PTI.
The PML-N led ruling alliance with 32 PML-N senators, 5 of MQM-P, 4 of National Party, 4 of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F), 3 of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), two senators from Fata and one each from ANP and PML-F, deems it in a comfortable position with said 52 votes in the Senate. Ishaq Dar who had been declared an absconder could not return to the country to cast his vote.
However, the sources said number game may change any time as all political bigwigs are moving from pillar to post to get the support of as many senators they can.
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