UNITED National Congress (UNC) Political Leader Winston Dookeran is heading to lose his battle to stop his being kicked out from the helm of the party, despite his move to hold 50 meetings over a 10-day period, starting Monday, to whip up support from the membership to hold on to the post.

The hierarchy in Dookeran’s camp is now admitting there is little hope he would retain the post of Political Leader when the UNC National Assembly meets July 31 to decide his fate.

“The five-dollar members, who voted in the last executive elections, are going to decide the political future of Dookeran,” a reliable source in the Dookeran faction told TnT Mirror.

One UNC activist said during the fight for posts on the executive, candidates brought in hundreds of new supporters, who paid $5 instead of $15 to become financial members, which would entitle them to vote in the National Assembly.

The source outlined the plan as to how Dookeran will lose in both rounds of voting to have him removed as Political Leader through “due process.”

The UNC faction, led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Jack Warner, the insider said, will hand-pick between 500 and 600 delegates to represent the various constituencies.

The delegates will pass the no-confidence motion against Dookeran to have him removed.

The resolution would then be ratified by financial members of the party at the National Assembly on August 13.

More than 10,000 financial members, mainly from pro-Kamla/Basdeo Panday constituencies like Siparia, Fyzabad, Oropouche, Couva North and Couva South would be brought in by maxis to vote, which would outnumber the Dookeran supporters, the source revealed also that the Hindu Credit Union (HCU) is in the process of booking buses and maxis to bring in anti-Dookeran members to vote at the Assembly.

Instead of these members voting by ballot, he said, the executive will call for a show of hands to say either “aye” or “nay” to the motion to remove Dookeran.

UNC officials will then say the “ayes” have it and that would be Dookeran’s last rites in the party.

But the Dookeran camp is arguing that 75 per cent of the financial members must vote to remove the Political Leader, according to the UNC Constitution.

Currently there are about 20,000 financial members and the executive will have to bring more than 15,000 of those members to throw out Dookeran or they will consider legal action.

Dookeran’s supporters fear that the party’s other faction led by Opposition Leader Persad-Bissessar, may attempt to pad the financial membership to vote in the National Assembly .

There are two cliques in the Persad-Bissessar faction -- one supporting her for leadership of the party and the other rooting for former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.

UNC Deputy Political Leader and financier Warner is in favour of Maharaj.

There are reports that former UNC Political Leader Basdeo Panday is not in favour of both Persad-Bissessar and Maharaj to lead the UNC.

A well-placed source said Panday and his wife, Oma, are still calling the shots but the stumbling block is Warner, who has reportedly taken control of the party.

Panday, it was said, still has memories how his London bank account became public and Oma is wondering how her picture coming out of a car near her daughter’s London apartment ended up in a daily newspaper.

The source said they know who was the culprit that tipped off the media and they do not want to see him taking over the UNC.

Sources said that Oropouche MP Roodal Moonilal, who surfaced earlier this week in Penal at the UNC Monday night meetings after keeping a low profile, had moved over from Dookeran’s side to Persad-Bissessar’s team because he was told by Panday he has leadership qualities.

Moonilal is now seen as a dark horse in the race for Political Leader of the UNC.
“There is going to be more infighting for the post of Political Leader if Dookeran is kicked out.

“The UNC’s Women’s Congress will be convened July l7 and the National Congress July 29 to deal with the Dookeran issue following which the National Congress will be held.