History has finally repeated itself. After months of pulling off the incredible unity, cracks have appeared in the much-touted opposition umbrella. A spat within the PDM has come to the fore with both PPP and PML-N claiming their right to the key office of opposition leader in the Senate. Intense lobbying is on the go as PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has dropped a line to smaller parties. Meanwhile, PML-N’s vice president Maryam Nawaz is busy consolidating ranks within the alliance (meeting JUI’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman) to support Azam Nazeer Tarar. Zardari’s camp is quite irritated with this nomination due to Tarar being the counsel for the accused police officers in the Benazir murder case. Zardari Senior’s outburst against Nawaz and Ishaq Dar’s absence in the senate race had categorically unleashed a brutal attack on the camaraderie. For those who still held hope over the “new chapter in Pakistan’s politics,” the tiff between Bilawal and Maryam might have spelt the beginning of the end. Not pulling any punches, Bilawal commented, “PPP does not have in its genes to compromise.” He even took a jibe at the PML-N’s ascent to power by talking about a family from Lahore long associated with “selection.” If this is not called parting of ways, what on God’s green earth is? The issue of en masse resignations and march to Islamabad had already made a dent within. But not ready to give up his centre-stage position, Maulana was attempting to bridge the emerging gulf. There were even talks of the PPP being offered to secure its government in Sindh and submitting resignations from other assemblies. To the opposition’s misfortune, the fresh round of old wounds inflicted upon each other would not allow any such compromise to flourish. Further, either is not ready to step back from their self-proclaimed right. Ergo, there remains little chance of a patch-up. But even if it survives the recent jolts, how effective would the PDM umbrella be in its anti-Khan campaign? Most likely, not much! More pertinent is the horse race going on between the two headquarters as both political scions sharpen their knives for the election. At present, the PPP has 21 senators in the house while PML-N’s 17 members are sitting on opposition benches. There are rumours of ANP and BNP-Mengal pledging support to PPP. However, Senate elections have long been synonymous with the making and breaking of ties. While Maryam talks of a prior agreement over the leader’s slot, the PPP leadership is quoting its majority as the basis for its mandate. Between the numbers game and heated rounds of political vitriol, the upcoming race just got way, way more interesting! As for the grand call for Imran Khan’s government, the “selected” pitch seems to be dying its own death. What was supposed to be a death match for the PTI has once again been reduced to a street squabble! *