In the last 8 months or so, PML N has done pretty much everything a party can do in an election year. They have gone out and literally dug up every road in Punjab, they have made serious noise about stuff in other provinces; they have even gone on recruiting spree to beef up the party ranks. Effectively they have prepared and prepared well for the upcoming elections. And even though there is this Tsunami coming for them, they are still focused on the real competitor. So all in all, looking at PML N, one would say that they are ready to go to polls and seize power. But in this case, all is not what it seems.
PML N will lose the national elections again and here is why they will lose it.
Inability to Evolve
In a country that is obsessed with the word change, it does pay off to be the consistent one. While people harp on about change, a big chunk like the way things are not because they are just, but because they understand how things get done within the current scenarios, so while there is always this urge to change everything, majority of the people tend to be content with the way things are and wish for a few tweaks here and there. In such a scenario, one would imagine that a party like PML N would thrive by making small changes to make life easier for people. But that is the whole issue; change and evolution is not the same thing. PML N instead of evolving over time in to a mature party is still trying to get on the bandwagon of ‘Change’. The problem with that is you cannot be in a provincial government and harp on about change as that is effectively an OXYMORON! What you can do instead is to evolve in to a mature group of people who are focused on better governance. And in 4 and half years, that is something PML N has yet to do. So while people may shout about how the Tsunami or Bhuttoism shall defeat PML N, they are all wrong. PML N will defeat itself.
No Media Strategy
Apparently Senator Pervaiz Rasheed is running some sort of media strategy at the PML N. The problem is, no one seems to have seen that in action. PML N often cries foul that when they do something it never gets attention and neither do they get credit for it. Well geniuses, it is simple why PML N doesn’t get credit for it, firstly it their duty and secondly it is because the message never really gets out. See thing is politically, the key is to get your message across. PTI, even though I do not agree with them, is brilliant at getting their message across. People identify with them every time the word, Insaf gets used in any context. That is the power of excellent media management and strategy. PML N on the other hand, throws money at things and hopes they work out. So yeah while Senator Pervaiz Rasheed is doing ‘excellent’ work at PML N, the party is slowly dying a very public media death.
No Message
Seriously does anyone including Baday Mian Saab know what the message of PML N is? I mean what are they going to fix when they come in to power? Jokes aside, the economy is screwed and will be screwed for a while, there is a food shortage expected globally to last the next 2 years and we are expecting floods starting in August. So seriously what is PML N going to do or for that matter what is anyone else going to do. And no, saying we shall end corruption does not cut it, because politically speaking a certain level of corruption exists in every system as it is endemic. This is in no way limited to PML N, this is a genuine question for all parties including the PPP and PTI. The fact is our budget is done in accordance with the IMF and the World Bank because we took loans, so no party can make massive changes to it as there is no money. So yeah, PML N what is your message, because it’s been 4 years and all I have heard is you crying and whining about what PPP does wrong while presenting nothing as an alternative.
Below Par Leadership
Yes PML N will lose partly because of the leadership too. It’s not Baday Mian Saab who is the problem; it is a bunch of other people. People like Ch Nisar, who says one thing and does another, people like Senator Pervaiz Rasheed who effectively blocks any decent idea from coming forward, people like Amir Muqaam who has impeccable records of genuinely not doing anything. With such a brilliant cadre of leaders, how can one win? It is as if in the last 8 months PML N has gone out there and made an effort to ensure the public face of the party is at least disliked if not hated.
Bad Advisors
This is a problem with nearly all parties but with PML N it is going to end up having a massive impact. It is well known that both Mians listen to their advisors closely and whatever is fed to them eventually is what they start believing. The current cadre of advisors is so awesome that they have somehow managed to screw up a done deal and put the whole party at risk of survival.
A few months ago, Ayaz Amir Sb wrote an effective obituary of PTI in his column. At that time people said he had jumped the gun while a large number agreed with him. If he were to look at PML N now, that obituary would fit like a glove. PML N is a party that does not need enemies; they are their own worst enemies. All these reasons are there and have always been there. PTI did make a difference; it just highlighted all of this.
So while Mian Saab tells Pakistan why the PM is wrong, what he does not understand is his is the last party to talk about right and wrong. For his own are destroying his party and yet in4 years he has not been able to see it. In essence;
Jis banday se apni party nai sambhaali jaati, us ne yeh mulk kya sambhalana hai?
