After consolidating its position in the Centre as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is all set to conquer Punjab - once considered a stronghold of Sharifs - with the help of independents and other smaller parties as it has already bagged 123 seats.
The dismal performance of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in recently elections, as it bagged only 129 seats compared to 123 seats of PTI, made it easier for the PTI to snatch the Punjab Assembly by forming its government with the help of independents and other smaller parties including PML-Q of Chaudhreys of Gujarat who had won 7 seats.
The PTI's political trouble-shooter Jahangir Khan Tareen, a close confidant of Imran Khan, has already kicked off the rendezvous with the 29 independents MPAs from Punjab, as it has already done seats adjustments with the PML-Q, which has 7 seats.
The sources within PTI told Business Recorder that the party is optimistic to win the support of almost all the independent MPAs, as it has already won the support of single seat winning parties that include Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), and Pakistan Awami Raj (PAR) of Jamshed Dasti.
In the Punjab Assembly, PML-N leads with 129 seats, while PTI is a close second with 123 seats, as per the ECP's results of total 295 total seats.
PTI leader Naeemul Haq told reporters that the party has the required numbers to make the next government in Punjab, adding there is no doubt that PML-N has the lead but the assembly's majority is with PTI.
Both the parties have started making contacts with the independent candidates to garner maximum support to win Punjab Assembly, but the sources said that majority of independents, if not all, are looking forward to be part of PTI.
They said that as many as 18 independent MPAs have shown their intent to give their support to PTI's nominee for the leader of the house as a result of backdoor contacts with them by Tareen, who has started talks with all independent MPAs on the orders of Imran Khan.
The sources said that the Hamza Shehbaz's name has been put forward by the PML-N to become leader of the house in the Punjab Assembly, and in case the party has to sit on the opposition benches, Khawaja Saad Rafique will be the opposition leader in the assembly.
PTI's Aleem Khan and Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed are being considered for the provincial top slot. But there are also reports that Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has also emerged as a potential contender for the slot of chief minister.
When contacted, PML-Q senior Leader Kamil Ali Agha said that Elahi's name is under consideration, but it is up to PTI to nominate the chief minister as it is a majority seat winning party.
To a question about merger of PML-Q with PTI, he said that it is simply "out of question," adding the party is bound to extend support to PTI as both parties had made seat adjustment for the elections. "Pervaiz Elahi could be the chief minister only if all the MPAs show confidence in him, otherwise there will be forward blocks within the party, so it will be premature to say that he [Pervaiz Elahi] will be the chief minister," he added.
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