In this part, we will discuss candidates’ prospects from Hyderabad division, i.e. Tando Mohammad Khan, and Badin districts. There are four National Assembly (NA) and nine provincial assembly (PA) seats in these three districts of Sindh.

The PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar is being challenged by 16 candidates on NA 221, which is the sole NA seat of district Tando Mohammad Khan. His main opponents are Mir Ali Nawaz Talpur of GDA, Ahmed Noonari of Khadmeen-e-Sindh, Mohammad Irfan of PTI and Imtiaz Hussain of MQM-P. Naveed Qamar won this seat in the 2018 elections by securing 76,077 votes, while GDA’s Ali Nawaz Talpur and PTI’s Abdul Jabbar Memon got 45,169 and 15,450 votes respectively. Although the PPP candidate has a lead over his close rival from GDA, an interesting contest is expected here.

In PS 66, 20 candidates are contesting the polls. Among those, Ali Nawaz Talpur of GDA, M. Javed Rajput of MQM-P, Aijaz Ali of JI, Ambar of JUI-F, Pir Muhammad Ali Sarhandi of TLP, M. Altaf Nizamani of PTI and Syed Aijaz Hussain Shah of the PPP are prominent candidates. PPP’s Aijaz Shah won this seat in 2018 by getting 32,659 votes while Mir Ali Hyder Talpur of GDA and Altaf Nizamani of PTI got 20,736 and 13,801 votes respectively. Although Aijaz Shah seems to be all set for victory, nothing can be said till the announcement of the election results.

On another PA seat, PS 67, a total of 12 candidates are competing for success. Dr. Qadir Magsi, a nationalist contesting from the platform of Khadmeen-e-Sindh, Khurram Karim Soomro of PPP and Abdul Rahim of PTI are prominent candidates on this seat. Abdul Karim Soomro of PPP, father of the present PPP candidate, previously won this seat by beating Abdul Rahim Katiar of GDA and Abdul Latif Soomro of PTI. Nationalists and supporters of Qadir Magsi are confident that he may pull a surprise.

Badin is one of the real battlegrounds during the 2024 elections. Two friends turned foes, Asif Zardari and Zulfiqar Mirza, are fighting for electoral supremacy on two NA and five PA seats. Mirza clinched Badin in 2017 local bodies elections but could defend just one NA and one PA seat in the 2018 general election. After the restoration of nomination forms by the court, they are still in a legal battle for getting GDA’s symbol. Until they get their symbols, official GDA candidates are Mir Hussain Bux Talpur, Muhammad Hassam Mirza, Mansoor Ali Nizamani, Mir Abdullah Khan, Hasnain Ali Mirza, Muhammad Hassam Mirza and Ameer Hassan Panhwar on NA 222, 223, PS 68, 69, 70, 71 and 72 respectively. The PPP has fielded five winners of the 2018 elections, one runner-up and one new face, which are Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, Rasool Bux Chandio, Muhammad Halepoto, Mir Allah Bux Talpur, Arbab Amir Amanullah, Taj Muhammad Mallah and Ismail Rahu on NA 222, 223 PS 68, 69, 70, 71, 72 respectively. A close contest is expected on all constituencies except PS 72 Badin-V, where PPP’s Ismail Rahu is in a better position against GDA’s Ameer Hassan Panhwar.

There are only one NA and two provincial assembly seats for grabs in Sujawal district. Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi of the PPP is up against Molvi Muhammad Saleh Alhadad of JUI-F, Muhammad Ramzan Lashari of MQM, Ghulam Sarwar Khatti of TLP and Mumtaz Ali Shah of PTI on NA 224. PPP’s Ayaz Shah Sheerazi won this seat in 2018 by getting 130,000 votes against MMA’s Molvi Saleh, who got 11,184 votes. On PS 73 Sujawal-I, Hussain Shah Shirazi of PPP, Dhani Dino Jakhro of TLP, Muhammad Ismail Memon of JUI-F, Juman Sindhi of Khadmeen-e-Sindh, Deedar Ali of PTI and Manzoor Ali Mallah of MQM-P are notables. PPP’s Shah Hussain Shirazi won this seat in 2018 and he is the frontrunner in 2024 elections as well. Ghulam Fatma of MQM, Muhammad Ali Malkani of PPP, Najeebullah of JUI-F, Ghulam Sarwar Khatti of TLP, and Muhammad Ashraf Thaheem of Khadmeen-e-Sindh are the main contenders among 15 candidates on PS 74 Sujawal-II. Muhammad Ali Malkani of PPP won this seat in 2018 while TLP’s Ghulam Muhammad Naeemi stood a distant second. PPP’s Malkani is a strong candidate on this seat.