MANAMA, Bahrain: The Shia Muslim Al Wefaq bloc, Bahrain’s main opposition group, will field candidates for up to 24 out of 40 voting districts in upcoming elections and does not expect to win a majority, an official said on Monday.

With a majority Shia Muslim population but a Sunni ruling family, the tiny Gulf Arab country is expected to hold parliamentary elections in October or November,

But observers forecast few changes, as diplomats say voting districts are expected to be carved out in such a way as to ensure Shi’ites do not get a majority.

Jasim Husain, a member of parliament for Al Wefaq, told Reuters his party was focusing on districts where it had a chance of success, and would field 18 to 24 candidates.

“We don’t want to overstretch our resources,” Husain said, adding that he expected to win around 18 seats. “In other districts we will endorse other candidates ... independents or nationalists, Sunnis who are not too anti-Shi’ite.”

The majority Shi’ite population complains of discrimination in jobs and services, a claim the government denies.

Husain said Al Wefaq’s main concerns for the polls were the distribution of voting districts and a lack of international election monitoring, which the government is not expected to allow.

In the 2006 polls, Al Wefaq won 18 seats, while Sunni groups Al Asalah and Al Menbar won a combined 15 seats.