Reports are being suggested that ruling party in Punjab and Federal, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) are neck and neck in the contest for NA-122 by-elections in Lahore.

Leaders of both the parties are busy in corner meetings and door to door campaigns in order to convince voters. At the moment both parties are claiming to inflict severe defeat to each other as blame game is on the peak. Both the parties are hopeful of sweeping the by-election and using all available resources to convince voters to favour them.

Successful rally of PTI on Sunday in the constituency has rung the alarm bells for PML N. Various points can affect result in favour of PTI. Masses have genuine grievances against PML-N government that has failed to come up to its promises that it had made during its election campaign in 2013. Party promised to eradicate energy deficit after coming to power but after passing half tenure of five year government, issue still persists.

We have a trend in our politics that people expect winning candidate from their constituencies to visit them on happy or sad occasions. But Ayaz Sadiq failed to take care of the residents of his constituency after becoming the Speaker of the National Assembly.

On part of the government, PMLN has failed to bring positive changes in the education, health and energy sectors. Business community is also having serious reservations over the policies of government including issue of withholding tax. All these issues may lead PMLN to fail in winning seat of NA-122 again. The PML-N needs to address public grievances, if it wants to win their trust.

On the other hand, track record of the PTI is very poor with respect to winning by-elections due to the contradictions in the PTI’s policies. PTI is demanding for no room of any negligence regarding issue of rigging.

PML-N and PTI both are neck and neck in contest of NA-122 by-elections. Both parties must not violate code of conduct of ECP.