No plans to boot Jack and Ramesh from HOR seats: Panday

Basdeo Panday said Monday there are no plans to change the roles of MPs Jack Warner and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj in Parliament. The opposition leader said such a move would defeat his policy of unity within the United National Congress (UNC).

Warner and Maharaj sit on either side of Panday of Panday in the House of Representatives. There have been rumours that Panday was about to push both men to a back bench because of a "difference of opinion" between the duo and Panday about how the party is going about its business.

Sources told local media the change is likely to happen at the UNC's Parliamentary caucus on Wednesday. But Panday put the rumour to rest saying there are definitely no such plans. "That is not on the agenda," he told reporters.

Warner repeated his long-held position. "Of course, for me it does not matter where I sit. It matters what I say. And I remain committed to working towards unity and getting the party into Government and I will not allow myself to be sidetracked by anyone," he told the Trinidad Express.

For his part, Maharaj said he would will cross "any bridge, if or when the time comes." He reminded reporters that 40,000 members of the UNC demanded his return to the party and said he is committed to fulfilling the promise he made to them to lead the party back into government.

"That is my mission and no individual or group of individuals would prevent me from working with the membership of the UNC and fellow citizens to remove the PNM Government whenever a general election is called," he told the Express, adding that he would not be distracted by what he called "irrelevant matters".

Maharaj suggested that "Any progressive leader would congratulate and compliment Warner and myself for what we have done for the party and the country."

Talk of a growing rift between Panday and the two MPs began spreading after reports that Panday kicked out one of Warner's supporters, Don Sylvester. Sources say Panday alleged that Sylvester was leaking information from the opposition leader's office, a charge that Sylvester has denied.

Sylvester works for Warner on the 100th Anniversary of Football Committee and is also a member of the UNC Executive.

Panday told reporters the matter is an internal party issue that he would not discuss in public.