Female floor member of COP joins leadership race

A woman joined the race Tuesday for the leadership of the Congress of the People.

Animal rights activist Nalini Dial, who holds no post in the party's executive, launched of her candidacy in Arima noting that COP's Constitution allows any member who is eligible to vote, to contest the leadership position.

Dial told reporters she has never been actively involved in party politics although she has been a founding member of the COP. She believes in the party's ideals. "I didn't join a party to be joined to another. I would like to see us stand on our own two feet," she said.

She is challenging three others high profile members of the party: Prakash Ramadhar, Anil Roberts and Vernon de Lima.

Ramadhar and Roberts and MPs and members of cabinet. Both are also members of the COP's national executive, with Ramadhar holding the post of Deputy Leader.

De Lima is Vice Chairman of the party.

Nomination day for the party's internal election in on June 12 and the vote takes place on July 3.

The founding leader of the COP, Winston Dookeran, is not running for re-election.