PML-N has lost ‘political charm’ for candidates, say analysts

LAHORE: The extension of a deadline for potential Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates in the upcoming general elections shows the party is no longer viewed as a politically attractive option, according to analysts.
However, PML-N claims its decision came about because of the high number of applications for different national and provincial constituencies.
“Despite all the negative propaganda, a large number of candidates want to contest the elections to the national and provincial assemblies on our party’s ticket,” Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan told Arab News on Sunday.
“This is clear by taking a look at the large number of applications we have received. The deadline extension has been made at the request of aspiring candidates who want to apply for our party ticket.”
PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif earlier tweeted that aspiring candidates could submit applications until May 25.
Now the party has extended the deadline to May 31, with some political pundits suggesting there has been a sharp decline in the party’s popularity.
PML-N leaders reject this claim. “Until this moment, our Lahore office has received 1,526 applications from candidates who want to contest the elections under our banner,” an official at the PML-N office said.
PML-N has levied a charge of 50,000 Pakistan rupees ($430) as its ticket fee for National Assembly (NA) general seat, 100,000 rupees for NA reserved seat, 30,000 rupees for the Punjab Assembly general seat, and 75,000 rupees for provincial assembly reserved seat.
Independent political analysts believe that the number of applicants willing to contest the elections on the ruling party’s ticket may have increased.
However, the number of “electable candidates” has fallen, they say, forcing the party leadership to extend the application deadline.
“Most winning candidates have decided not to contact the party this time, owing to PML-N’s present political position. They don’t view it as a winning horse. Obviously, the party is trying to woo such politicians and has extended the application deadline,” Chaudhry Khadim Hussain, Daily Pakistan’s Political Editor, told Arab News.
The vicissitudes of PML-N’s political fortunes became apparent when a number of potential candidates in South Punjab left the party to join the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
This was despite the fact that most PML-N’s candidates had won recent byelections in different parts of the country. The party has suffered a series of setbacks since its topleader, Nawaz Sharif, was disqualified as the country’s prime minister last year.
Some analysts believe his court cases, and recent statements challenging Pakistan’s judiciary and security establishment, have led to prominent politicians avoiding the party.
“We saw how PML-N lost its grip in South Punjab. In the three divisions of Punjab — Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan — no one is interested in contesting the poll on Shahbaz Sharif’s ticket,” said Hussain Jehania Gardezi, a veteran politician.
However, some political commentators believe the loss of a few political heavyweights is unlikely to create a crisis for the party since its voters are still attending public rallies in large numbers.
“The anti-PML-N forces have failed to create a distance between the voter and the party leadership. The voter will elect party candidates, not specific personalities. The extension in the deadline is to invite an even greater number of applications since that will help the party make optimal choices while selecting its final candidates,” said Salman Ghani, head of political affairs at Dunya News, while talking to Arab News.

PML-N has lost ‘political charm’ for candidates, say analysts