Ghani and Abdullah: Frontrunners in an election that has been twice delayed KABUL: Back in 2014, allegations of fraud during the presidential election nearly pushed Afghanistan on to the verge of another bloody civil conflict. Poised to pull its tens of thousands of troops from the country, Washington interfered to strike a deal between the two arch rivals, Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, who became president and chief executive respectively on the basis of the deal following a run off. Five years on, the two leaders — whose reputations have since been tarnished because of perceived inefficiency — are heading for another contest on Saturday. Fraud and security threats, following repeated Taliban warnings for derailing the vote, are concerning many Afghans. Many fear that the vote may see less turnout due to the risk of vote rigging and the worsening security situation. Foreign diplomats and nations who have been funding various rounds of Afghanistan’s polls have spoken about their worries on transparency of the vote. Of the 14 nominees, Ghani and Abdullah are seen as frontrunners in an election that has been twice delayed due to poor management and doubt over the success of peace talks between the Taliban and the US in Qatar. Ghani, 70, is a Western-educated technocrat. Abdullah, 59, is a trained ophthalmologist who served as a senior member of a faction that fought against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and later against the Taliban before the fall of the group in a US-led invasion in late 2001. Since assuming power, both men have bickered over power and appointed mostly their loyalists to government positions. In a complex and ethnically diverse society, Ghani has lost some of his old supporters, including factional leaders, and recently courted a number of his harshest critics, such as, Amruallah Saleh, who is his first running mate. Ghani relies on youth, through a social media campaign and community leaders, while Abdullah’s focus has been on the usual ethno-political alliance building. The presidential election is highly likely to go to a second round, according to some analysts who warn of large scale of vote-rigging that could spark a protracted political crisis and possibly fan ethnic tension. The two phenomenons will stop formation of a legitimate government and may block efforts for reviving peace talks with the Taliban. With war surpassing four decades and the US presence nearing its 18th year, the vote is crucial for Afghanistan’s stability and its national unity, which it needs more than anything else for its survival. While there seems to be voter fatigue and despondency among those eligible for the ballot, there are those who are eager to vote since they consider an election as means for Afghanistan’s survival. Despite the controversy whether to hold the polls now or after making peace with the Taliban, both the would-be voters and those unwilling to exercise their vote agree that with the high probability of US troops leaving Afghanistan, regardless of Washington making a deal with Taliban or not, the country cannot afford to see another unpredictable era of fresh conflict.