UNC sources: Dookeran plans to accept leadership

According to the proposal, Dookeran would serve under Panday’s chairmanship.

However, Dookeran was in no position to comment on what his plans were yesterday, having received the tragic news of his brother’s death.

Sources said however that individuals who were originally part of the Dookeran team are still expected to run for positions in the UNC elections.

In fact, sources report that at this stage "everyone is coming with a team," but nobody, except Panday, is going to own up, or publicly endorse any team.

Panday has gone on a major mobilisation blitz. The UNC leader plans to hold public meetings every day this week to build support for his slate.

One interesting development is that Panday appears to be targetting, to some degree, those constituencies where the MPs were known to have supported Dookeran for the position of leader, in the event that Panday decided to quit politics.

Last night, Panday held a meeting in Ganga Singh’s constituency. Singh was not down to speak initially because he was overseas. But the MP returned to Trinidad on Sunday night and was expected to be among the speakers at this meeting. Tonight Panday goes to Oropouche and tomorrow to the Chaguanas constituency.

Sources said Panday could be shoring up support for Dookeran’s candidacy and his (Panday) slate. "One thing is certain. Panday is not disappearing from the political scene," one source said.

The source suggested that Panday was visiting those constituencies where new and renewal memberships were relatively low.

Sources said there were about 1,200 new members and renewals of membership in Chaguanas; in Caroni East there were approximately 900; while in Oropouche there were about 500 and St Joseph, the figures were about 300. By contrast, there were approximately 4,900 in Siparia, sources said.