The MP for Siparia's ten to one victory over Basdeo Panday was a historic event in many ways.
First and foremost, no one had ever challenged Panday for the leadership. The challenger in 2010 was Panday's one time foe and one time ally, Ramesh L. Maharaj, who was at the time the MP for Tabaquite. However it became clear early in the campaign that he was a spoiler whose motive was not to win, but to help make Kamla lose.
The only other "challenger" in the UNC's history was Winston Dookeran. But he did not have to fight a battle, having been nominated unopposed and was actually endorsed by Panday. Dookeran and Panday never got along and Dookeran eventually left to form the Congress of the People (COP).
And perhaps equally significant was the fact that a woman was in the race to topple a political giant on his own turf.
Panday made the mistake of taking his loyal MP for granted, believing he would do to her what he had done to all who opposed him - confine her to the proverbial political cemetery.
That was his first error; Kamla was determined to win and she gathered a strong team to make it happen.
Panday's second and fatal error was to use gutter politics to try to defeat Kamla, suggesting that she was not fit to govern because she had a "problem". Kamla refused to go there, admitting in the final week of the campaign that she did indeed have a problem - but not the one to which Panday had alluded.
She told UNC supporters her problem was that for too long she supported and believed in Panday.
Her campaign was dignified and focused. Her message was clear. Panday was no longer the fighter he had been, was unable to unite the party and the opposition to get back to government and that she represented the best hope for returning the UNC to Whitehall.
In refusing to deviate from that message no matter what the provocation from Panday's team, she demonstrated that she was ready to lead and more important, that she had the ability to heal the political wounds and unite the party and the opposition.
Few expected that she would do it so well, so soon. And fewer still thought she would become prime minister four months later.
She was the proverbial rejected rock that became the cornerstone, a reminder of Psalm 118-22-23: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."
Not only did Kamla win a landslide, getting more than 13,000 votes to Panday's 1,349, all but one member of Panday's team lost. The sole survivor was Roodal Moonilal, who narrowly defeated Wade Mark to win one of the three posts of deputy leader. Suruj Ramabachan, who had been a previous Panday loyalist, and Lyndira Oudit won the two other deputy posts.
The other historic development on that day was the resounding victory of Jack Warner over Vasant Bharath for the post of chairman of the party.
Warner was a key player whose Movement for Change had triggered the internal election that propelled Kamla and her team to office.
Jack had a very clear mission - to find a leader with "winnability", work with the leader to unite the opposition and then topple government and defeat the PNM in a democratic election.
He chose Kamla over his friend and ally in the Movement for Change and with Kamla in charge as leader he was able to achieve all three within the space of a few months.
Kamla was gracious in accepting the leadership and attributed the victory to the people who were determined that the UNC was ready to move on and return to government.
"We all have the same concerns and the same dreams. We want to rid this country of the plague that has descended on it, and we want to create a new society in which each of us can blossom and grow," she said in a brief victory speech. "This victory is your victory and the nation’s victory," she said.
"I am your servant. I accept the assignment you now place in my hands. And I pledge that I will never let you down." She said she was deeply humbled and told UNC members the victory was the beginning of a new journey.
"And I call on everyone tonight to unite as one family – because that is what we are, one family – and let us begin the crucial task of rebuilding our party.
"And then we will extend our loving hand across the nation and embrace everyone and invite them to join our crusade for justice, equality and love.
"I know some of you have lost hope, but I am here to tell you that the flame you kindled today with the trust you have place in me and my colleagues will grow into an inferno that will burn away the darkness and let the Rising sun shine again.
"I have always told you that I put the Lord in front and walk behind. Today we have walked with the Lord and we have done the righteous thing.
Read the story: "This is your victory and the nation's victory": Kamla
It was a humiliating defeat for Panday who had fought for decades on behalf of the poor and dispossessed in the country. But he had become weak and unable to unite the party and the opposition.
Panday refused to accept the result and charged that there was corruption in the vote. But no one believed that given the enormity of the victory.
One month later his loyal MPs saw the light advised the president that they would support Kamla and on February 24 the new UNC leader also became the Opposition leader.
From her new seat Kamla led the charge against the Manning government, which collapsed under the threat of a no-confidence vote. Manning dissolved Parliament in April, two and a half years after winning 26 of the 41 seats in the House of Representatives and then set May 24 as the election date.
Kamla's message had resounded way beyond the UNC and 'Kamlamania' descended on the country. With lightening speed she put together a coalition of all the opposition and presented a united partnership to the people.
On May 24 she led her team to a great victory, winning 29 of the seats.
Today, just eight months into her first term as PM, Kamla has demonstrated that she has the skills to keep her coalition together. She has handled several crises effectively and delivered on many of her promises.
The economy is on the mend, crime is starting to go down and despite some obvious problems, the future look good. She won on the mantra of "serve the people, serve the people, serve the people!" In 2011 she has promised to "deliver, deliver, deliver!"
Jai Parasram - 24 Jan. 2011
Also read:
UNC celebrates Kamla's first anniversary as leader at Reinzi Complex Monday
Photo story: Flashback to Kamla's leadership campaign
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