50 PTI MPAs may go against Elahi in Punjab CM election: Rana Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah said Thursday that as many as 50 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers can vote for PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz tomorrow (Friday) as Punjab chief minister candidate in a run-off election, ARY News reported.   

Addressing a press conference here in Islamabad, the interior minister said: “Not five, but 50 PTI MPAs can either vote against him [Hamza] or stay away from casting their votes”.

The minister pointed out that any of the MPAs not showing up for the elections would be due to “Elahi’s incompetence”. Rana Sanaullah said that PML-N will exercise all political and legal options to win Punjab CM re-election.

“Imran Khan bought loyalties of MPAs by using plane after the general election of 2018, but it would not be called horse trading as per Khan’s reasoning,” added Sanaullah.

“The ones in PTI, who still have a conscience, will not vote for Elahi,” the interior minister said.

Race for Punjab CM heats up

Following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) victory in Punjab by-elections, the number game for Punjab Chief Minister (CM) slot has once again become the focus.

According to well-placed sources, the PTI was eyeing the Independent MPAs of the provincial assembly to make sure Elahi’s win as Punjab CM in upcoming run of election in the Punjab Assembly.

According to sources in the PTI, two independent members have voiced their support for Elahi in the Punjab CM poll.

Meanwhile, sources have claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has advised five PTI MPAs to remain absent on the day of the election.

The PML-N has claimed that three PTI MPAs have been persuaded to remain absent. Amid the numbers game, the voting for Punjab CM is likely to take place as a run-off election, sources added.

Number game

Following the ruling of the Supreme Court, a run-off election for the chief minister of Punjab is scheduled for Friday, where  Elahi will face off against the incumbent chief minister, Hamza.

After the recent results in the by-election, the PTI has swelled its ranks in the Punjab assembly to 188 votes while the PML-N and its allies have the support of 180 MPAs.