An Analysis of ANP’s Electoral Performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (A Case Study of 2013 General Election)

Abstract

Democracy, Parliamentarianism and working federalism can flourish only if there is a functional political party with efficient leadership. Solidarity of the federation and autonomous status of its units are dependent variables while political party and its leadership are independent variables of the whole politico-electoral system of the state. However Success or failure of political parties depend upon the political consciousness of general masses and the process of electoral politics subject to fair, free and transparent elections. Election is a scale which judges sentiments of masses towards any specified party, its leadership, ideology and electoral manifesto. An objection over the political parties is that they do not represent the general masses but social and economic classes in society as very few percent of voters belong to any national or regional party and those who are the members usually come in (middle or upper middle income brackets) who are comparatively educated and have the view that they have at stake in the political process. Thus the electoral study of any party not only gages the sentiments of masses at any given point of time rather it also reflects the strength and
weaknesses of the party and its causes as well. This paper is focusing on the election results of 2013 in KP with special reference to Awami National party (ANP) with the question that why ANP as a regional party, after the elections of 2013 didn’t get the required results even after the achievements sought after 2008 election in the shape of 18 amendment and socio-economic developments ensured during ANP rule in KP. A comparative analysis has been made to identify all those factors and determinants due to which ANP faced failure in not only the national but in provincial elections as well.