Re: Election NA 55 - Count Down & Results Thread
Final day of electioneering for NA-55 today
RAWALPINDI: Despite the tall claims of all the candidates to clinch the National Assembly seat (NA-55) in the by-election, the final showdown is likely between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shakil Awan and Awami Muslim League (AML) president Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, who is reportedly backed by the PPP city chapter.
For both the PML-N and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, it is something more than the by-election as in case PML-N loses this election, it will cause irreparable loss to its growing popularity while the defeat will cost Sheikh Rashid Ahmed probably a full stop to his political career.
However, the PPP local leaders dispelled the impression, saying that neither did they receive any signal from top leadership to support Rashid nor were supporting any candidate in the by-polls of NA-55.
Nonetheless, political pundits insist that the PPP workers, on the nod of their big wheels, had decided to teach a lesson to PML (N) leadership by backing Sheikh Rashid Ahmed after its vicious campaign against the PPP co-Chairman and President, Asif Ali Zardari to oust him and to end the myth that Pindi has become a castle of N-league.
According to a survey conducted by media on Sunday, all the contestants of the by-polls of NA-55 including PML-Ns Malik Shakil Awan, Awami Muslim League (AML)s Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Jammat-e-Islami (JI)s Dr Muhammad Kamal and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI)s Ijaz Khan Jazi were busy in holding scores of meetings and taking out rallies to clinch pubic support as today (Monday) will be the last day for electioneering as per the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) laws.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Aman Party (PAP)s Haji Gulzar Awan and independent candidate Sheikh Danish Iftikhar, contrary to their opponents, were mainly focusing on door-to-door campaign and approaching business community to muster support of voters.
But their chances to win the by-polls are fewer as all the eyes are focused on the thorny contest between PML-Ns candidate Malik Shakil Awan and AML President Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed.
PML (N) leaders told Geo news that Malik Shakil had an edge over Sheikh Rahsid as Rawalpindi was considered a strong hold of the PML (N).
PML-N facilitated people of the city much, they said.