PPP willing to offer PM slot to Imran: Wattoo

[SBD-3]

OKARA: While Imran Khan is drawing huge crowds on his campaign trail, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) predicts that his party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could form the next coalition government at the centre. He also foresees the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz as coalition partners in Punjab.
“The PPP could also offer Imran Khan the office of prime minister in the coalition government,” Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, the president of PPP’s central Punjab chapter, told The Express Tribune in a candid interview on Sunday in Okara where he was on a campaign trail. Wattoo is contesting the May 11 elections from three constituencies: NA-147, NA-148 and PP-188.
“If Imran Khan plays his cards carefully, his party can bag more seats than PML-N in the centre,” he said. Manzoor Wattoo, whose party successfully completed its five-year constitutional term in office, predicted a ‘hung Parliament’ as a result of the upcoming election. He believes no political party could win a simple majority, either in the centre or in the provinces.

“If the PPP outvotes its rivals [in the centre], we’ll invite the PTI to form a coalition government,” he added. “If the PPP can join hands with the ANP, JUI-F and MQM, it can also form a coalition with Imran Khan,” he said referring to the last coalition government that his party led for five years. He added that President Asif Ali Zardari believed in political reconciliation.
Asked about PPP’s strategy for Punjab, Wattoo said even if his party retained the seats it had won in the 2008 elections, it would be better placed to form a coalition government in the province. “We can join hands with PML-N if the party wins enough seats in Punjab,” he added.
Wattoo claimed that after the 2008 elections, too, the PPP could easily form a coalition government with the help of 40 independent legislators in Punjab. But President Zardari invited the PML-N to form the government because he wanted to give the Sharif brothers a chance to revive their party in the province.
However, he was noncommittal when asked if his party would offer the chief minister slot to the PML-N in a coalition government. “I’m also contesting for a provincial assembly seat [PP-188]. And this is not without a reason,” he said, dropping a broad hint that he could be the party’s choice for the office, if voted to power in the province. Wattoo served as the chief minister of Punjab three times between 1993 and 1996, though he couldn’t complete his term on all three occasions.
Asked why the PPP was not considering the PTI for a coalition government in Punjab, Wattoo said that Imran’s party was focusing more on winning National Assembly seats.
Wattoo is upbeat about the electoral victory of his party – and he has reasons for this optimism. “Whenever three popular parties are in the race, the PPP gets the benefit,” he said, adding that PPP’s ideological voters would never vote for any other party.
Criticizing Nawaz Sharif for his ‘obduracy’ and ‘political intolerance’, Wattoo said that in politics one has to be flexible and accommodating. “PPP’s successful election strategy has put the PML-N on the back foot. This is why today the entire Sharif family is out in the field, campaigning for their candidates,” he said.
While its rivals – especially the PML-N and PTI – are staging huge public rallies across the country, the PPP is relying on the media for its election campaign. But Wattoo defended his party’s strategy, saying that they were focusing on technology for conveying their message to voters.
“We are relying on the media, including social media, because it’s a fast, quick and efficient way to communication. Even in the United States, the media is used for election campaigns,” he said. He added that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would soon address public meetings via video link.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2013.
PPP willing to offer PM slot to Imran: Wattoo – The Express Tribune

 

[Adios Amigo]

hahahaha...this jackaS$ has been beating his bum and making noise of his own....... Dil k behlaney ko khyal acha hey.......Sohail ahmed righly ridiculed him in his program for this statement......"kissi ki muttun karahi mey apna khali shora daal k kahey, chalo ral k khaain"

 

[haviZsultan]

I doubt there will ever be an alliance between PPP and PTI. PTI has always reffered to the PPP as a very bad and corrupt political party. PTI should win the next election despite the polls which show other players on the political battlefield.

 

[Guvera]

Musharraf had a better offer for Imran than this one and he declined, someone like Nawaz can avail this offer that too if he gets decent seats.

 

[Leader]

HAHAHAHAHA.........

nawaiwaqt

oops shahbaz sharif making a similar offer but he is not only making to PTI but also to PPP

 

[Jango]

In your dreams Wattoo!

But I agree with him that the next government will be a coalition and because of that, a PTI government will be difficult.

 

[Fahad Khan 2]

Thanks but No Thanks PPP mushkill 10 20 seats la gi......

In your dreams Wattoo!

But I agree with him that the next government will be a coalition and because of that, a PTI government will be difficult.

Sitting in opposition in next term with big number in opposition will move PTI from 3rd slot party to 2nd slot because then PML-N will need PPP help to form govt and if PPP will give them that help PPP will be finished and PML-N will also loose ground.... i don't think next parliament will survive more then 2 year with IK rough and tough opposition.....

 

[Kompromat]

Am i the only one, sensing desperation in the, voice of a seasoned politician??...i wonder why.

 

[Slav Defence]

Am i the only one, sensing desperation in the, voice of a seasoned politician??...i wonder why.

we are sensing as well....this has to happen...everything that has beginning has an end!

 

[SBD-3]

But nevertheless, reality remains clear
1- There will not be any clean sweep by any party
2- If PTI wants to be taken seriously, it would need to perform (i.e. form a government somehow) and then deliver upon all of its promises.
3- However, IK and PTI leadership knows that they can only topple the vote bank of PML-N (or to an extent of ANP in KPK). PTI has visibly given up on Sindh, Baluchistan.
4- And more interestingly, PTI leadership still believes PPP vote bank to be un-penetrable which means little success expected in Southern Punjab too (where PPP has her historic stronghold).
5- PTI is extremely inflexible towards mainstream parties which may effectively mean that it would have to sit in opposition. This would mean five more years to change. This may prove too much for PTI supporters.
I often wonder either PTI leadership is so naive that they dont recognize the ground realities or they are just downplaying it by drugging themselves with eutopian dreams. Our political system is not in a position to spur change (in its current condition) and I think PTI leadership should be mature enough to recognize it, which they are apparently not.

 

[Spring Onion]

Am i the only one, sensing desperation in the, voice of a seasoned politician??...i wonder why.

plus political move to cowdown Ganja league.

 

[Guvera]

But nevertheless, reality remains clear
1- There will not be any clean sweep by any party
2- If PTI wants to be taken seriously, it would need to perform (i.e. form a government somehow) and then deliver upon all of its promises.
3- However, IK and PTI leadership knows that they can only topple the vote bank of PML-N (or to an extent of ANP in KPK). PTI has visibly given up on Sindh, Baluchistan.
4- And more interestingly, PTI leadership still believes PPP vote bank to be un-penetrable which means little success expected in Southern Punjab too (where PPP has her historic stronghold).
5- PTI is extremely inflexible towards mainstream parties which may effectively mean that it would have to sit in opposition. This would mean five more years to change. This may prove too much for PTI supporters.
I often wonder either PTI leadership is so naive that they dont recognize the ground realities or they are just downplaying it by drugging themselves with eutopian dreams. Our political system is not in a position to spur change (in its current condition) and I think PTI leadership should be mature enough to recognize it, which they are apparently not.

I can see a PTI govt after elections in center along with Punjab & KP.

 

[SBD-3]

I can see a PTI govt after elections in center along with Punjab & KP.

Okey let us see how is it
To secure a simple majority 137 seats are necessary
Punjab has 142 NA seats
KPK has 35 NA seats
Total seats of both provinces account for 178 in total
Sindh has 61 seats where PTI would hardly win 2-3 seats (I am being optimistic here)
Baluchistan and federal has 16 seats where a similar result would be there
FATA's 12 seats will join whosoever makes government
So for PTI to enter the corridors of power it would have to atleast secure around 75%+ of seats in both provinces
which is highly unrealistic because PML N has delivered relatively better than PPP. Moreover, PPP's vote has always been driven by persona, religious association and linguistic basis. In addition, ANP is also likely to benefit from being victimized by TTP.
And lastly, PTI hasn't invested enough of its time in provinces which account for around 30% of the national seats. But I guess still we can dream that we will make one-party government.

 

[AdeelFaheem]

But nevertheless, reality remains clear
1- There will not be any clean sweep by any party

3- However, IK and PTI leadership knows that they can only topple the vote bank of PML-N (or to an extent of ANP in KPK). PTI has visibly given up on Sindh, Baluchistan.
5- PTI is extremely inflexible towards mainstream parties which may effectively mean that it would have to sit in opposition. This would mean five more years to change. This may prove too much for PTI supporters.
I often wonder either PTI leadership is so naive that they dont recognize the ground realities or they are just downplaying it by drugging themselves with eutopian dreams. Our political system is not in a position to spur change (in its current condition) and I think PTI leadership should be mature enough to recognize it, which they are apparently not.

Nice. Agreed.

 

[A.Rafay]

These PPP politicians are hungry and greedy for seats and ministries!