A number of United National Congress (UNC) members, including young people, are urging Opposition Senator Vasant Bharath to enter the party’s leadership race and he has been consulting various UNC constituencies in recent weeks, it has been confirmed.
A spokesman said Bharath will likely announce by the end of the week what action he would pursue—whether contesting or not.
Sources close to Bharath confirmed Tuesday night that he had been having meetings with various constituencies including Couva South members, Tunapuna and other areas and party units to understand the feelings on the “ground” and decide whether he should contest.
They said it had been noted there was still support for incumbent leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar as well as growing support for sole challenger to date, Oropouche East MP Roodal Moonilal.
They confirmed Bharath had also noted divisions among particular UNC units on the issue.
Meanwhile, UNC officials after Wednesday’s national executive meeting, said they were not aware of any legal challenge in the offing to the election process but “wouldn’t be surprised if there might be.”
Sources said if any challenge came, it might be from Moonilal’s side since there have been “whispers” of this. They said: “Initially, Moonilal was very confident and now his camp appears to be concerned about things.”
Moonilal didn’t answer calls yesterday. Some members of his team said they were unaware of any challenges being considered.
Another Bharath in the party, former councillor Prakash Bharath, assistant secretary of UNC’s Tunapuna executive, has admitted there were some executive members with differing views on the leadership issue.
He said he supported giving Persad-Bissessar another three years until the next leadership election in 2018 to try and rebrand and reinvigorate the UNC. He said the position was outlined by activists, himself and other Tunapuna members at a briefing on Tuesday.
But he stressed that group didn’t speak for the executive and that briefing didn’t feature UNC Tunapuna chairman Hamlyn Jailal.
He also denied the group had been mandated to hold its briefing by UNC hierarchy or leadership officials.
He said: “I can’t speak for the entire executive but we called a briefing on Tuesday because senior activists, area managers, the rank and file are telling us they strongly want to retain the incumbent leader.
“People believe losing the general election wasn’t entirely her fault.
“People around her gave her advice, the Congress of the People (COP) had lost popularity in the East-West Corridor but the UNC still performed creditably since the party won 17 of the 18 seats the People’s Partnership obtained.”
“She’s still vibrant and loved. We’ve suggested, the party can give her three years to do the necessary work to return to government and if there are changes, the MPs and rank and file want after that, then so be it.”