Interested in the thoughts of posters like Zak etc, who are very familiar with the party’s history and all. Do you guys think that the ANP, which has always been the dominant party in the NWFP prior to the previous elections make a strong comeback, after the dismal performance in the previous one? They did have alot to account for that loss, namely their poor performances and most notably their failure despite an alliance with the PML[N] on the name changing issue and not to mention the anti-american vote went to the MMA instead of them.
I always think ANP has potential, its a party with dignified and educated politicians who can be good for the country. I think they deserve to be voted in power especially if you have MMA as the main competition. Your thoughts gentlemen?
yeah they did do well in the local elections, but in the final stage where the money factor came in like in the rest of the country the results changed. The party is radically different from the one in 2002 and has attracted a lot of clean and respected people back into it, i suppose that was inevitable after the MMA victory.
But to be honest most people i know say while the ANP may do well, it's the PPP that will be back with a bang come next elections..at least in NWFP.
The ANP voted for the Musharraf's govt Women's Protection Bill (WPB) in the Senate, as did other Pakhtun nationalist parties like the PKMAP. In fact the latter has gone as far as hailing President Musharraf's policies in the tribal area's.
Musharraf's seems to be lining up a combined secular/moderate front (PPP-P, MQM, ANP, PKMAP etc) to deal a body blow to the MMA. Just wait till about mid to late February 2007 and all will be clear. :)
I doubt the Pakhtun nationalists can ever strike a deal with Musharraf, on one end while they may not actively oppose him because they support some of his policies...issues like him being a military dictator his use of force in FATA and Balochistan, and kalabagh dam make it an impossibility..despite Chaudhry Shujaats family terms with some of them, and Musharrafs proven ability to keep alliance promises as he did with the MQM. On the other hand a deal with the PPP would be exceedingly difficult, because the PML-Mush has elements which are simply unable to work with the PPP (read up on Chaudhry Shujaats family to give you an example).
The easier option for Mush (and the one in the process) and his proxies is to rig the elections as they've done before and after with the referendum, 2002 elections and last years local elections.
In NWFP if it's a fair election, i think it'll be a three horse race between the JUI-PPP-ANP..but things are quite fluid right now, the MMA still has a considerable combined vite bank and every strike on the border by the yanks boosts them.
Thats actually a very good question, and I see rifts between Qazi 'talkalot' and Maulana 'Disesel'. The former clearly wants to resign and boycott elections, and the latter is very keen on hanging onto it. Lets see how events unfold. Without each other, they cant even get the 2-3 seats they used to get when they were divided.
spock and u are aware of the sami situation anyways, so its ppl in cahoots for power even if it means they sell their principles whch have kept them separate for so long, but fractures will develop as fortunes change..
^you didn't ask me Fraudz, but to answer your question Sami is a card carrying Musharraf supporter nowadays. His son is head of a parliamentry committee and Sami is in fairly regular contact with Mush at official meetings. I suppose it's a meeting of minds ..
When Ayub Khan was in power he contacted Bacha Khan and Wali Khan to support him but they gave him a cold shoulder. When Zia was in power, he sent Fazli Haq I think twice to convince Wali Khan for participating in election on the condition to be a PM but Wali Khan flatly rejected the offer. When Musharraf came into power the first politician he contacted was Ajmal Khattak but he was ousted from the party by violating party discipline.
So there is no question nationalists in any corner of the country would support any dictator. (And thats the reason their people are still suffering)
ANP leadership have definitely invigorated their party by kicking out some of the dirty faces, however they cannot be expected to emerge as a major power in the next election. It all depends on the coalition, there are likely chances that ANP join hands with PPP. It is unlikely that ANP join hands with PML (N) as they have proved to be untrustworthy in the past. There are also very remote chances of ANP coalition with MMA as they are totally different parties and major rivals in the province.