LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: After deseating of 25 dissident MPAs of PTI, the role of four independent MPAs of Punjab Assembly seems to be crucial to elect the new Chief Minister of Punjab.
Out of 25 deseated MPAs, five were elected on reserved seats, thus, PTI will be able to get back five MPAs on reserved seats and the number of its MPAs, along with PML-Q will rise to 177 in the Punjab Assembly.
Before ECP’s decision, PTI held 183 seats in Punjab Assembly and after deseating of its 25 estranged MPAs, the party stands with 158 MPAs. With the addition of five MPAs on the reserved seats, PTI’s number of MPAs will rise to 163, which will increase to 173 with the support of 10 PML-Q MPAs. If PTI and PML-Q get support of independent candidates, their number of votes will rise to 177 in the provincial assembly.
Meanwhile, PML-N has 165 MPAs in the provincial assembly and with the support of seven PPP MPAs, its number of votes are 172. There are four independent MPAs while Rah-e-Haq Party has one MPA in the Punjab Assembly. If PML-N garners support of all the independent MPAs and also gets vote from Rah-e-Haq Party, it will be able to fetch 177 votes.
However, if four PML-N dissident MPAs abstain from supporting their party’s chief minister candidate, PML-N will not be able to win back seat of Chief Minister.
