As the UNC elections race heats up, leadership contender Vasant Bharath is drawing the media into the battle, charging many of its practitioners have been bought out by his political rivals.
During an interview on the Akash Vani radio programme, Panchayat, yesterday morning, Bharath said he knew, without a doubt, that media personnel on some radio stations have been bought out completely.
“I cannot even get an ad in,” he said. Hosts Satesh Mahabir and Keiron Samaroo seemed stunned by the allegations but replied they were not among those bought out.
His rivals for the leadership post of the UNC are Dr Roodal Moonilal and former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Bharath had also reportedly earlier claimed in another interview that media people were bought out over the last five years by the former People’s Partnership administration and raked in big money.
The Media Association of T&T, asked to respond, advised the questions be put in writing and forwarded.
On a separate matter, Bharath responded to critics who said the young, new faces on his slate were inexperienced.
Bharath said the UNC had not been attracting the good people but they were starting to come out now on his slate.
He said his slate had “a couple PHDs, some teachers” and some more experienced UNC members.
Bharath said those were the kind of people who would rebuild the UNC.
As for those who find he is not grassroots enough to lead the UNC, Bharath said he could not be held at fault because he was born into a privileged family or because he was educated.
“I have never been aloof or arrogant,” he said, recalling how he defied the former administration and marched with protesting farmers, even at the risk of being expelled from Cabinet.
Bharath also believes he is the best man to rebuild the UNC because of his past experience in change management in several leading international companies.
He recalled how he took the little known brand of flour, Country Pride, and made it a household name during his stint at the Nutrimix Group of Companies.
As for the issue of Persad-Bissessar stepping down voluntarily, he said while it was not part of T&T’s culture, it was becoming norm all over the world for leaders who lost favour with their populace to resign.
A caller on the programme wanted to know why Bharath did not step out of the race also since he was rejected by the constituents of St Joseph, which he contested in the last general election.