OKARA: MNA-elect Chaudhry Riazul Haq Juj has been contacted by both the PML-N and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to join their party while his family and close supporters are urging him to maintain his independent status.

Late on Tuesday, PTI central organiser Chaudhry Sarwar and Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mahmoodur Rashid arrived in the city and met Mr Juj in the presence of his uncle, the president of the Okara Chamber of Commerce and Industry and PTI MPA Chaudhry Masood Shafqat Rubera.

Sources said both leaders offered Juj a top slot in the Punjab PTI cadre.

Mr Juj, who won the by-elections for NA-144 on Oct 11 with a huge margin, told the visitors that they were consulting their voters, supporters and family elders on this issue.

PTI ticket holder for the NA-144 by-poll Ashraf Sohna was ignored by the visiting party leaders.

Mr Sohna told Dawn PTI senior leaders’ efforts to woo Mr Juj would be of no avail as the MNA-elect and his family had their own priorities.

On Wednesday, Mr Juj received calls from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan who congratulated him on his election success.

Sources said the PML-N had offered him a federal ministry if he joined the ruling party.

The sources say the MNA-elect is being told by his friends to stand independent till local council elections as most of the local council candidates for rural and urban union councils and wards supported him in the by-poll. Only those on PML-N tickets opposed him.

Also, Mr Juj and PTI MPA Shafquat Masood Rubera had pledged to move jointly in the future politics. Mr Rubera, who faces action from his party for supporting Mr Juj in the election, met with Mr Khan at Zaman Park. Rubera’s friends say the show cause notice would be settled down at the district party level.

It is also learned the PTI leadership contacted Rubera’s father-in-law, former provincial minister Rai Ejaz Ahmad, and discussed the steps to settle the show cause notice issue as the PTI was more interested in retaining Rubera in the party and winning over Mr Juj through the MPA.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2015

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