While the registration process of presidential hopefuls for Afghanistan’s upcoming presidential elections gathers fresh momentum, office of CEO Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday said the CEO is undertaking consultations for the creation of a six-member electoral ticket from the Jihad and resistance front.
 
Abdullah himself has an option to lead this electoral ticket, said CEO spokesman, Mujiburrahman Rahimi, as ambiguity continues on whether Abdullah will again register to run for president in the upcoming elections, following 2014 presidential elections where he appeared as one of the leading candidates alongside President Ashraf Ghani.  
 
“Discussions and consultations are underway to move towards the elections with a six-member ticket which will include the president and his two deputies, the chief executive officer with his two deputies. I strongly refute the rumors that the chief executive officer will join or support any electoral ticket as a deputy,” said Rahimi.
 
Meanwhile, sources have said that incumbent acting minister of foreign affairs Salahuddin Rabbani, who also serves as the chief executive of one of Afghanistan’s mainstream political parties, Jamiat-e-Islami party of Afghanistan, has refused to run as incumbent President Ashraf Ghani’s first running mate.
 
Members of Jamiat party have said they will not support a candidate from the party who will run as vice president on other election tickets.
 
At the same time, there are some reports that Ghani has also finalized his election ticket.
 
But, sources have said that Rabbani wants Jamiat to come up with its own nominee in the elections.
 
These sources also said that Abdullah has told Jamiat leaders that if Jamiat comes up with its own nominee, he will support him in the elections, otherwise he himself will run for president. 
 
But, sources close to Jamiat-e-Islami have said that some party leaders were not satisfied with Abdullah’s performance as chief executive officer in the current government.
 
“Of course, the chief executive is one of the options under discussion, there are other leaders also in our team and discussions are ongoing about them,” added Rahimi.