LOWER DIR: Political temperature in Lower Dir is rising every day ahead of local bodies election. All political forces are busy canvassing in support of their candidates. Flag marches and rallies by political parties are being taken out every day. Houses, markets and shops have been decorated with posters showing symbols of candidates and flags of political parties.
According to the official data of local election commission there are a total of 5,90,089 registered votes in the district out of which 2,39,941 are women voters. A total of 553 including 12 separate polling stations for women have been established through out the district for local bodies elections scheduled to be held on May 30.
According to the election commission, the number of joint polling stations in the district is 529 where 353 polling booths have been set up for women voters while 660 for male.
A total of 4985 candidates are in the run for different categories of the local bodies election out of which 415 candidates filed their nomination papers for district council in 41 wards of the district while 407 including independent are in the run for Tehsil Councils. For general councilors there are 2325 candidates, for peasants and workers 947 and 886 for youth.
Being heart of Lower Dir, urban council Timergara has always been of great importance for the people of the district where almost all political groups are in the run but the real contest seems to be among the candidates of JI, PPP, ANP and PTI. Though in the past JI and PPP were the leading contesters at urban council Timergara but the graph of ANP has gone up to a reasonable level due to the provision of natural gas by former senator and ANP secretary information Zahid Khan across the urban council. Besides PTI has emerged as a great political force in urban council Timergara as it is enjoying support of a large number of youngsters.
From PTI panel Adnan and Malak Rahatullah, Malak Sajad Ahmad and Ibrahim from ANP, Haji Laiq Zada and Malak Sher Bahadar from JI and Alamzeb advocate and Malak Javed Iqbal advocate from PPP are contesting as district council and tehsil council candidates in urban council Timergara respectively.
INP