Rambachan for Couva North? Kamla says that's not the party's position

Former Chaguanas Mayor Orlando Nagassar told the media Wednesday he has asked United National Congress (UNC) deputy leader Dr Suruj Rambachan to contest the Couva North seat in the next general election.

Former UNC leader Basdeo Panday has held the seat since the first entered the House of Representatives in 1976. But the constituency executive led by Nagassar has said that they no longer want to work with Panday.

Nagassar said Rambachan has promised to consider the request.

However UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters that is not an official party position.

"If he has said that, that is totally in his own head and his own mind and his own heart, but that was not a matter discussed today (Wednesday)," Persad-Bissessar told reporters after a party meeting in Couva.

She explained that there is a clear process for selecting candidates for general elections and a screening committee in place to deal with it. Constituencies have until April 12 to make recommendations for candidates and screening is scheduled to begin the next day.

Former journalist Sunil Ramjitsingh has been working among the people in Couva North since a surrogate constituency office was set up last year.

Read the story: Ramjitsingh takes charge of Couva North

Sources within the UNC say Ramjitsingh is popular among the people in Couva North and that he is considering submitting his name for the seat.

Couva North had been one of the safest UNC seats but Panday won it in 2007 with a minority vote, with the PNM candidate coming second.