Gillani's win to have a political domino effect.

ISLAMABAD -- Yousaf Raza Gillani's surprise victory in the Senate election on Wednesday left the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in a state of shock. Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani has dealt a serious political blow to Imran Khan and his ruling party by defeating Prime Minister's Advisor on Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh.

And, this has happened despite all-out efforts of the government to block Yousaf Raza Gillani consensus candidate of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from the race on one pretext or the other. What could have factored in the victory of Gillani and its implications for Prime Minister Khan and his government? Yousaf Raza Gillani has secured additional votes from the ruling coalition, more than the PDM's numerical strength in the National Assembly.

This 'infiltration' into PTI's ranks by Yousaf Raza Gillani and securing additional winning votes has exposed the chink in the armour of Prime Minister Imran Khan's ruling coalition.

What could be political motivation for a former prime minister and a key PPP leader as a PDM candidate to run for a Senate seat raises a serious question? The insiders in the PDM say he will soon be a candidate for the chairmanship of the Upper House and therefore poses a serious challenge to the incumbent Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.

Yousaf Raza Gillani seems to be a very strong challenger to Sanjrani because of the PDM's numerical strength of 53 members against 43 of the PTI-led ruling coalition.

The bolstered numbers in the Senate will now provide the opposition parties to deny freedom of action to Prime Minister Khan and his coalition partners to carry out any desired legislation.

In its immediate reaction after the victory of Yousaf Raza Gillani, the PDM leadership has demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan to step down. This is in line with the PDM's plan to bring...

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