Political parties supporting Musharraf fear large-scale defections

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) is apprehensive of large-scale defections in the wake of the postponement of general elections in the country and the growing popularity of the PPP following the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Islamabad, Jan 3 : The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) is apprehensive of large-scale defections in the wake of the postponement of general elections in the country and the growing popularity of the PPP following the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Senior political leaders of PML-Q, which backs President Pervez Musharraf, have admitted about their fears of defections in their party, and view stemming large-scale defections, as a major task ahead the February 18 elections.

"A major task for us in the intervening period will be to effectively stem large-scale defections," The Daily Times quoted a senior PML-Q leader, as saying.

Contesting candidates would also switch loyalties to make best of the sympathy wave caused by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination, they fear.

So far, the PML-Q has not faced any large-scale desertions.

The PML-Q leader went on to say that during the three-day mourning following Benazir's death, the party was deliberately not aggressive, despite it being subject to allegations.

He said the intense attack launched by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari at his maiden press conference against the PML-Q helped consolidate it.

Admitting that the situation had gone a sea change following Benazir's assassination with the PPP's public rating having improved, the PML-Q leader said that but it was not to the extent where "our party feels threatened".

"We can still stop the downslide by tackling the campaign against us prudently," he said.

The daily claims that among the three major political parties, the PML-Q has an edge as it has most powerful nominees with wide influence in their respective constituencies and districts.

A majority of them are moneyed people, feudal lords, business tycoons or others having great local sway, it added.

The PPP and the PML-Nawaz (PML-N) have all along been expecting significant defections from the PML-Q.

ANI