|
Deputy Political Leader Jack Warner has since distanced himself
from the Progressives, on whose slate he fought, and has publicly
apologised to Panday.
Moonilal recently returned to Panday’s fold.
After following Dookeran around for a while after the election,
some said he sheepishly slipped back as a supporter of Panday, almost
literally holding on to the chairman’s shirt-tail during Bas’
court trial, as if his life depended on it.
But Moonilal, without a blink, said he was never against Panday
at any time, despite the fact that harsh words passed during the
election campaign, as battle lines were drawn.
“I don’t think Panday was against me either,”
the Oropouche MP added.
Panday had called Moonilal names during the election campaign, even
suggesting that he might be a “little boy” and “wet
behind the ears”, or words to that effect.
Moonilal added: “It was an internal election and we are all
under an obligation to unite in support of the UNC after the internal
election.
“In the PNM, many had supported Dr. Keith Rowley for political
leader against Patrick Manning during a previous party election.
“Now they are in support of the government led by Patrick
Manning.”
With regards to support for Kamla Persad-Bissessar as Opposition
Leader and Dookeran being left out, Moonilal told Mirror that he
and his colleagues looked carefully at their options, if Dookeran
assumed the position of Opposition Leader.
“We were of the view that Dookeran, in the recent past, appeared
to be out of alignment and seemed to be apart from the politics
and activities of the UNC,” Moonilal stated.
“We were also of the view that Dookeran was unable to secure
the support of the institutions of the party and of the rank and
file members.
“Therefore, we believed that to seek to install Dookeran would
further destabilise the party, where we would have seen one UNC
party in the Red House and another at Rienzi Complex.” |
