Panday to take over three constituencies held by "dissidents"

Basdeo Panday has declared three of his MP's irrelevant and will ask the executive of the United National Congress (UNC) on Wednesday to set up management committees to look after the affairs of the the constituencies held by Jack Warner, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Winston "Gypsy" Peters.

The move is a clear indication that the UNC leader plans to expel the MPs from the caucus. If that happens the three are likely to take legal action to defend their rights as elected representatives of the people.

Panday's position is that each of them has helped to bring the party into disrepute through their campaign for change. In Warner's case the former prime minister is on the warpath because of Warner's vote last Friday with the PNM. Panday said that is irrefutable evidence that Warner is working with the PNM.

The meeting at Rienzi Wednesday is going to be full of tension and political drama. Last week, MPs walked out on Warner and Peters, who later left. The two have promised to attend the Wednesday meeting and face Panday.

Panday is looking forward to the confrontation. He has said Warner's colleagues have a lot of questions to ask.

Commenting on the plan to take control of the three constituencies, Panday said the three MPs "have all but expelled themselves from the party, I am happy to tell you that there is no longer any infighting and any division in the UNC. The executive and the caucus meets and it's a smooth sailing," he told the Trinidad Express.

"The party is united and is moving at pace. There is no longer anything to slow us down. Our enemy can say what they want, they can say what they like, the UNC is now united."

Panday predicted that a united UNC would win the next election.

Read the column: Warner-Panday face off at Rienzi...