UNC founder Basdeo Panday has accused the UNC's new Persad-Bissessar administration of being vindictive in choosing candidates, after all the MPs loyal to Panday were removed from the UNC's election slate. Panday spoke after yesterday's announcement of UNC's candidates at Rienzi Complex in Couva. The leadership held a meeting with nominees at 3 pm to announce the candidates. UNC sources said Persad-Bissessar chose people "she can depend upon." In the process, all the MPs who supported Panday in the January 24 UNC internal election were replaced, including Panday's brother Subhas in Princes Town North and his daughter Mickela in Oropouche West. Panday's Couva North seat also went to schoolteacher Ramona Ramdial. Panday said that did not matter.
On the situation regarding his daughter, brother and other colleagues who were dropped, Panday said: "I expected that kind of vindictiveness by the new administration to take place, so it has come as no surprise.
"What is very instructive is, if they are so vindictive now, if they get into power, what will they do to those who did not vote for them?" he said. "That is a very worrisome thing not just for UNC supporters but also for the country–what they did there yesterday was a total act of vindictiveness. "A lot of people have called to say they will not vote now because of the attitude they are seeing on display–I think it is a very sad situation. "I expected the vindictiveness, but I didn't expect that sort of reaction from people. But I suppose people are taking note of the situation. People are not stupid, you know. They are very observant."
Panday said he has not decided if to contest Chaguanas West because he now more firmly believes he may be of greater use to "the thousands of people who supported us." Couva South Kelvin Ramnath said: "I'm not surprised I didn't get through. I thought I didn't stand a chance. But I know a lot of other nominees are upset, I've just spoken to them. "Lyndira Oudit and Dave Persad who were also nominated for my seat have followers and they were not given priority so the camps are very unhappy," Ramnath said. "I am especially sad for Mickela Panday. If the executive has a problem with her father, they should not take it out on her. "The party also appears highly disorganised. People don't have a say in this party and party groups are not functioning or being heard so the executive alone is selecting candidates.
"I fear there will be repercussions and people will vent their frustration about the way the process was handled." Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj–replaced by Suruj Rambachan–said that since the UNC management had rejected his offer to be a candidate, he did not think the team needed his help with the new candidate. Maharaj, who said he would not contest as an Independent, added that he intends to step back from political activity until after the election. "I am still waiting to find out why the people of Tabaquite didn't receive the existing MP as a candidate and what criteria was applied that made Rambachan a better choice," he said. "They have not said whether honesty, integrity and passion for good governance were used in candidate selection.
"I sympathise with the plight of constituents who have expressed their fears of injustice to me in recent weeks," Maharaj said, wishing Rambachan and the party, luck. St Augustine Vasant Bharath, who was dropped to make way for COP's Prakash Ramadhar said there are still deep-seated rivalries and anger in the seat that existed from the 2007 election when COP and UNC competed for votes. He said it was necessary for people to explain the current arrangement to constituents since he said many people were still calling him with concerns and were confused about how the unity arrangement would work. Caroni Central MP Hamza Rafeeq said while his constituency would initially be disappointed at his removal, they may rally around the UNC eventually. Stating that the objective of the exercise was to remove the PNM, Rafeeq said he would assist new candidate Glen Ramadharsingh if the latter approached him.