At least 82 candidates to file nomination Monday

Monday is Nomination Day for the May 24 general election in Trinidad and Tobago and at least 82 candidates are expected to file nomination papers - 41 from the governing People's National Movement and the same number from the People's Partnership.

The opposition coalition has an accord by which each of the five members will not oppose one another. This means that there will be one opposition candidate in each of the seats.

The group comprises the United National Congress (UNC), the Congress of the People (COP), the Tobago Organization of the People (TOP), the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) and the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ). UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the coalition's leader and will become prime minister if the opposition wins.

Notably absent from the political lineup of the UNC is party founder and former prime minister Basdeo Panday. His daughter, Mickela and brother Subhas, who were MPs in the last Parliament, are also not running.

Panday has indicated that he might oppose against Jack Warner as an independent in Chaguanas West but the others have accepted the party's decision and have said they will help the party win the election.

The Pandays won sympathy Sunday from Patrick Manning. Speaking at the PNM's rally in Woodford Square Sunday PNM leader called their exclusion an act of vindictiveness. "That is a warning to all of you my dear friends," he said.

The UNC has dropped seven of the members who were in the last Parliament. The Pandays - Basdeo, Subhas and Mickela, Dr Hamza Rafeeq, Ramesh L. Maharaj, Kelvin Ramnath and Vasant Bharath.

On the other side one notable omission is former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Pennelope Beckles. She represented Arima in the last Parliament and was rejected by the PNM for two seats.

Also missing are cabinet minister Gary Hunt, who was responsible for the embarrassing $2 million national flag, and Legal Affairs Minister, Peter Taylor. Keith Rowley will be back despite the running war between him and his leader over corruption in the Manning government.