Founder of the United National Congress (UNC) Basdeo Panday says he will consider forming his own political party if UNC internal elections, which are scheduled to take place this year, are not free and fair. This news from Panday was music to the ears of interim leader of the Independent Liberal (ILP) Jack Warner who said he had no problem merging the ILP with a new party formed by Panday to contest the 2015 general elections.
Panday said people have been encouraging him to contest the UNC’s election, which has been delayed by 16 months. It was supposed to be held last January. In response to calls from UNC members, the veteran politician said he should be able to contest any post in the UNC election if it is free and fair. He claimed the 2010 elections were stolen and if on the next occasion those contesting the election are in control of the machinery “the results will be determined before the first vote is cast”.
Panday was defeated by current UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar in the 2010 internal polls. He told the Sunday Guardian: “If the election is not free and fair, I invite a mass resignation from the UNC and the formation of a new party to contest the elections in 2015.” Asked if he thinks he would get the support from the people, Panday admitted he could not say so for sure but it is worth a try.
Asked whether he would invite Warner’s ILP to join forces with him in a new party, Panday said: “If you form a party you usually go in the direction of the membership and that is not possible until you form the political party.” Warner said the UNC is crumbling with those at the helm. “This is not the party Basdeo Panday and I fought for years ago,” he said, adding that he is willing “to join any party whose objectives are similar to ours (ILP) and whose goals are the same”.
“If it means that there are parties willing for us to have a grand coalition then I don’t see a problem,” he said The Chaguanas West MP said he has no intention of forming a united front with the PNM: “That is not on the cards,” Warner said.
Analyst: A testing ground for both men
Political analyst Maukesh Basdeo noted that the 2010 internal election Panday was defeated by Bissessar by a huge margin. He said the possibility of Panday forming a new party and Warner joining him would result another political coalition. “Will it be powerful enough to challenge the UNC and the coalition of the COP, TOP and NJAC? I don’t know. A lot is going to happen in the next couple of months in relation to coalition politics,” Basdeo said.
If Warner and Panday join forces it would present a challenge to the PNM, he said. While Warner amassed a lot of votes in the Chaguanas East by election, the same did not happen for the ILP in the 2013 local government election. “All these things have to be taken into consideration...the popularity of the leader with Warner having a lot of allegations surrounding him.” On the flip side, there are die-hard UNC supporters who still look up to Panday, he said.
“But being out of active politics for four years is a long time. What Panday would have to do is convince the UNC base that he is the credible leader. It would be a testing ground for both men.” Basdeo said formation of a new party could change the dynamics of T&T’s political landscape: “What you are going to see is a further split within the coalition of the PP. They are obviously going to get people to gravitate towards this new political vehicle.”
Another interesting scenario could develop if current UNC members and government ministers who were on Panday’s slate in 2010 cross the floor to go to their former leader’s side. “That is what will be interesting. A lot of scenarios could play out here,” Basdeo said.