ISLAMABAD: Rana Ehsan Afzal, a prominent figure in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has suggested that he might present his candidacy to the party for the current Faisalabad seat in the National Assembly (NA-110). This comes amid ongoing discussions that the ticket for this constituency might be granted to Opposition Leader Raja Riaz, who is disenchanted with the PTI.
The Opposition Leader secured victory in the National Assembly seat during the 2018 elections as a candidate from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), defeating Rana Afzal Khan, the father of Ehsan.
PML-N’S Political Dynamics And Ticket Speculations
Addressing speculations circulating within the party about a potential candidacy for a Punjab Assembly (PA) seat, the young PML-N leader Ehsan stated that he would duly respect and uphold the decision made by his party.
Currently, in his role as the de jure NA Opposition Leader, Raja Riaz is currently participating actively in the process of selecting the caretaker prime minister. He is engaging in consultations with the leader of the treasury benches.
However, the party’s local leadership strongly believes that they will nominate Raja Riaz as the PML-N candidate for the NA seat in Faisalabad. They anticipate that this decision will influence Rana Ihsan to choose a Punjab Assembly seat under Raja Riaz’s leadership.
During a television program, the opposition leader openly acknowledged his aspiration for the PML-N ticket.
Raja Riaz secured victory over the late Rana Afzal, prevailing by a margin of approximately 5 percent.
This time, however, there is a likelihood of him garnering even more votes compared to the previous election. This is attributed to his possession of a distinct voter base in the constituency, in addition to the PML-N’s support, as emphasized by a local party leader.
On the other hand, Rana Ihsan’s family has gained renown for their unwavering loyalty to the party. Local leaders also praised the late Raja Ejaz’s integrity, an attribute they deemed rare in contemporary times.
They acknowledged, though, that honesty might not be a pragmatic quality for politicians to possess, given that politics, devoid of interactions with law enforcement and the judicial system, might not suffice to build a devoted following.
Rana Ihsan Afzal Khan asserted that his dedicated efforts for both the constituency and the party over the past few years qualify him for the National Assembly ticket.
He also mentioned that, despite hearing discussions among the public regarding his political future, no official communication had reached him yet.
Rana stated his intention to present his case before the party leadership to secure an NA ticket, while also expressing his commitment to abide by the party leadership’s decision on this matter.
He clarified that he had not established any form of connection with Raja Riaz, the kind that usually exists between an MNA and the MPAs working under them.
The PML-N leader further stressed his right to express his viewpoint to the party leadership, highlighting that the disparities between the two sides were minor.
In the meantime, former MPA Faqir Hussain Dogar, who had previously won a provincial assembly seat within the mentioned NA constituency and is likely to contend for a ticket once again, indicated that there were understandings with Raja Riaz. However, he refuted any formal communication on the matter.
