Electioneering picks up steam in Mardan

MARDAN: Tough electoral battles are anticipated in the three national and eight provincial constituencies in Mardan district as the political parties have accelerated activities by holding rallies and other events in their respective constituencies for the upcoming general election. There total registered voters in Mardan stand at 1,538,078, including 696,382 women. The election commissioner has designated 1,055 polling stations which include 353 for men, 319 for women while 383 polling stations are combined. 

For the three National Assembly seats, 42 candidates, including two women, are in the run. About 105 candidates, including three women, are competing for eight provincial assembly seats.

The Awami National Party (ANP) has intensified its campaign; however, its candidates are facing hurdles due to the differences at the grassroots level.

Sources said that the ANP leader Ameer Haider Hoti running for NA-2 and PK-58 is spearheading the party’s election campaign in Mardan, but he has no control over the workers. The sources added that some ANP candidates may lose due to the differences which emerged after the intra-party election.

They said that the majority of the influential local party leaders got their blued-eye persons elected as office-bearers and ignored the ideological workers, which led to groupings in the party at the grassroots level.

The sources added that Haider Hoti and district officer-bearers ignored the issue and did not try to address the grievances of the disgruntled workers. And with the announcement of the general election, these differences became serious in the district. In the PK-56 in union council Mayar, which was the main hub of the party, majority of the party workers are supporting candidates of other political parties for the provincial assembly constituency. However, they will cost the NA vote in favour of party candidate Haider Hoti.