TONGUES are wagging in political circles over a recent secret meeting United National Congress (UNC) political leader Basdeo Panday and his wife, Oma held with business magnate Lawrence Duprey in London and two of his former Cabinet Ministers during the UNC term of office. Reports are circulating that the meeting was also attended by former UNC Ministers Carlos John and Mervyn Assam. Panday has admitted meeting Duprey but did not disclose details of the talks. Speculation is that Duprey, head of the CL Financial empire, who is one of the financiers of the UNC may have met with Panday to discuss stepping down as political leader of the party and allow the UNC to join forces with the Congress of the People (COP) to take the fight to the ruling People's National Movement (PNM) in the upcoming General Election. One UNC source said Oma reportedly jumped into the conversation and said "Not over my dead body (about unity with COP)," But others felt that if the discussions were not about politics it could well have been about another scholarship for one of Panday's daughter or giving Oma another "helping hand." Some UNC officials say that Panday should come out and clear the air about the meeting to prevent the rumours that have been circulating. John is one of Duprey's right-hand men, while Assam is said to be associated with the COP but is taking a back seat in the meantime. Assam should also state whether he attended the meeting since he was in London during the time Panday was there. Rumours are also circulating that at the meeting Panday was offered $10 million to "ride out in the sunset," which he has denied. The UNC is now part of an Alliance with three other smaller political parties. Panday has been saying that the only people who can ask him to step aside from politics is supporters in his Couva North constituency. At a UNC meeting on Monday night in Sangre Grande Panday said he had been receiving calls from both here and abroad about uniting with the COP to fight the PNM and issued a challenge to COP leader Winston Dookeran to meet with him "face to face" to discuss the issue. But Panday said one of the conditions of that meeting is for the presence of the media.