A shadow of uncertainty hangs over the United National Congress (UNC) even as former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar launched her bid for re-election as party leader yesterday.
The inner turmoil comes as one faction of Persad-Bissessar’s supporters broke away and formed a new party yesterday, the National Solidarity Assembly (NSA), while other party insiders are courting two UNC heavy hitters to challenge her for leadership of the party.
The Sunday Guardian was informed that both Vasant Bharath and Dr Roodal Moonilal have been approached by party insiders to vie for the top post. The Sunday Guardian understands that an internal rift is developing between Persad-Bissessar’s supporters and those throwing their weight behind Moonilal, with a small faction backing Bharath. It is Bharath’s support though that seems to be growing, as insiders describe him as the one with the most integrity among the three.
The two former ministers have confirmed that they have been approached by UNC activists disenchanted with Persad-Bissessar’s leadership and have both been asked to vie for the political leadership post in the December 5 internal elections, with nominations closing off on November 20.
Bharath, in an interview with the Sunday Guardian, confirmed that he had been approached but said he had not yet made a decision.
“To answer your question, yes I have been approached but as you can imagine, it is a weighty decision,” Bharath said.
He said several people would be “courted” for the various positions but confirmed that he was approached to vie for the post of political leader.
“It is not an easy decision because the party needs to be rebuilt from the ground up and that disrupts your entire life,” he said.
Bharath said he had been speaking to his father, seeking advice and had also spoken to family.
“It concerns them too because they will be affected as well,” he said.
“It necessitates some thinking,” he said.
Moonilal, in a text exchange with the Sunday Guardian, was also pensive and said he had to take some time to think about the challenge of leading the UNC.
“I am still consulting with key UNC activists,” Moonilal said.
The Sunday Guardian has since learned that early internal polling shows Moonilal has the “popular” vote while Persad-Bissessar retains the organised support within the party.
“She has the party machinery behind her,” insiders say.
Just last month, the Sunday Guardian reached out to Moonilal questioning the delayed internal elections and was told then that it was not a party priority and it was something it planned to look at early in the next year. When asked about the change of date, Moonilal said the party felt that it was “best to get it out of the way.”
“Like the rest of the UNC membership, I welcome the party’s decision to hold early internal elections, leadership must be regularly validated by membership and this speaks volumes of our deep commitment to the democratic ideals inherent in good governance,” he said.
When asked about being approached to lead, Moonilal confirmed that he had been asked but had to think it over.
Despite the internal simmering, Persad-Bissessar was the first out of the gate and launched her campaign for leadership re-election yesterday in Penal.
The UNC internals are long overdue and were last held back in January 2010 when Persad-Bissessar trumped party founder Basdeo Panday. The party’s constitution calls for internal elections for the political leader post every three years and were due in 2013 but were put on the backburner while the party was in government.
At the last internal elections, Bharath vied for the post of chairman and was beaten then by Jack Warner.
At that time, too, Moonilal was on Panday’s slate and was the only person from that line-up to cop a win as deputy political leader.
Sources said Persad-Bissessar had been calling chairmen, counsellors, MPs, and members of constituency executives asking for their support last week. Party sources said there was no clear support for her among MPs. (See Page A5)