MULTAN, Jan 22 (APP):In a departure from traditional electioneering practices, the political landscape for the upcoming 2024 elections is witnessing a notable evolution in the city and its suburbs.
The key changes include a reduction in the prevalence of corner meetings, the absence of small campaign offices at street level, and a deviation from the customary door-to-door canvassing approach.
Political parties and independent candidates are strategically targeting influential figures at the union council level. The candidates are garnering support from former UC chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors, and tribes’ elders, said senior political analyst Mazhar Javed while talking to APP.
He also remarked that the candidates were not found spending amounts on political campaigns as it was observed in past elections.
The candidates are moving away from grassroots campaigning to a more focused alliance-building strategy.
Analyst Malik Arif pointed out that the current political climate was characterized by a lower level of enthusiasm among political workers. Extreme weather conditions have also cast a shadow over the political campaign for Election 2024, impacting the traditional fervour associated with such events.
Another analyst Malik Muhammad Tariq remarked that the candidates were also targeting their voters through social media. They find direct access to voters that is why a complete shift in the election campaigns is being noticed, Tariq added.
Moreover, a noticeable decline in the abundance of banners and panaflexes, which once adorned every street, is also being observed.
Shopkeeper Hamid, who traditionally expected a surge in business during election season, noted a contrast this time.
Despite candidates approaching him for small panaflexes, the number of orders has been surprisingly low, he stated.
The price for these smaller campaign materials, such as panaflex stands at Rs 150 and Rs 4 for a single pocket sticker. In Past, there had been big panaflexes. Now, the Election Commission of Pakistan has recommended small-sized panaflexes, he informed.
Hamid, however, remained optimistic about an uptick in orders in the coming days as the campaign gains momentum.
