UNC in election planning mode; eager to conclude unity talks

Officials of the United National Congress (UNC) say they are eager to resume unity talks with the Congress of the People (COP).

Winston Dookeran is in India on a lecture tour and Kamla persad-Bissessar is in Florida for a fund raising event Saturday night. Both of them are expected back home next week.

There is speculation that Prime Minister Patrick Manning would announce on April 9 that he has asked the president to dissolve Parliament for a general election. Sources say the plan nis to pre-empt the opposition no confidence debate in Manning scheduled for Parliament on that day.

Manning has planned a big rally in Woodford square to coincide with the debate and inisders say he will launch his campaign for re-election at the rally.

In anticipation of an election call, top UNC officials met Thursday to discuss plans for a general election.

The party agreed to establish teams to deal with a manifesto, candidate screening, election infrastructure and other related election issues.

The UNC plans to meet again next Wednesday to discuss internal affairs, the election and to finalise plans for the no-confidence motion in Manning, scheduled for debate on April 9.

The COP and UNC leaders had planned to meet again on April 22, but with the accelerated political activity that would likely change. The UNC's unity committee headed by Oropouche MP Roodal Moonilal would also have to speed up its work if the two sides expect to reach a political accommodation.

So far the COP and the UNC have agreed in principle that they will fight the next election with only one candidate against the PNM. But they still have to figure of on what basis the parties would allocate seats.

The UNC currently holds 15 seats in Parliament and it came second in five others. Insiders say COP would want to be guaranteed some of those "safe" seats, including St Augustine, currently held by Vasant Bharath.

It is unlikely that Bharath would run again. He has been a staunch supporter of ex-UNC leader Basdeo Panday and has not fully thrown his weight behind the new UNC leader.

In addition sources close to Bharath have told JYOTI the MP is planning leave active politics and focus on building his private business.

Dookeran won St Augustine in the 2007 election as a candidate for the UNC. He had previously been the MP for Chaguanas and governor of the Central Bank. In 2006 he was given the leadership of the UNC but resigned and formed COP.

The UNC has dismissed suggestions that former UNC Cabinet Minister Carlos John might be a candidate for the election. John is a former MP for St Joseph and ran an unsuccessful campaign against the PNM's Eddie Hart in Tunapuna in 2002. He did not run in 2007.

Officials have confirmed that John is assisting the party in the East West corridor but said he won't run because he has a case pending in the courts.

The party might consider former UNC cabinet minister and diplomat Mervyn Assam for St Joseph. Assam has represented the constituency before. He lost the critical Tunapuna seat in the 2001 general election, which led to the 18-18 tie that saw Manning propelled into government.

Assam had left the UNC and fought Manning in San Fernando East in the 2007 election, but returned to the UNC after the change of leadership in January 2010. He said he never stopped being a member of the UNC. Assam is now one of the six opposition members in the Senate.