Political feint

This means that Basdeo Panday is setting the stage for his return as the de jure leader of the United National Congress. Since he anointed Winston Dookeran for the post of political leader last October, Mr Panday has continued to act as the real leader of the party, and Mr Dookeran has signally failed to fill the post he was selected for. Indeed, it is arguable that Mr Panday’s selection of Dookeran was nothing but a political feint, intended to give himself some breathing space while he regrouped from the corruption charges that had undermined his political appeal. And, if it was a feint, it may be that Mr Panday, knowing that Dookeran had political appeal amongst voters, also intended to undermine Mr Dookeran from within the party.

In the four months since his elevation, the political shortcomings of Mr Dookeran have become apparent. He lacks charisma, even of the type that comes with a humble persona. But that is not necessarily fatal. But Mr Dookeran also lacks an authoritative manner, not in the sense of being authoritarian, but in the sense that he has not impressed political onlookers as a man who can stand up to his enemies and outmanoeuvre them. And, since politicians always have enemies, this lack could be fatal for a man vying to be the country’s Prime Minister.

It is possible that Basdeo Panday knew all this already and, by anointing Mr Dookeran as political leader but allowing him no real rein, gave Mr Dookeran enough rope to hang himself. But it is also possible that Mr Panday genuinely wanted Mr Dookeran to succeed as leader, while he himself remained in a position to pull the strings. But perhaps the latter part of that plan failed, and so the public saw the widening cracks between the party’s two factions.

But the ground is now being set to expel the dissident faction ("dissident" being defined as anyone who disagrees with Mr Panday). The MPs who have aligned themselves with Mr Dookeran do not have their own political bases, while Mr Dookeran’s integrity-based political appeal may not be sufficient to compensate for the gutting he received at the party’s rally last Sunday. Even the Dookeran camp’s spin on the booing their leader got — that it was deliberately orchestrated — is a weak response. After all, the booing only started when Mr Dookeran began speaking about disunity in the party, but, even if it was orchestrated, then where were Mr Dookeran’s supporters to provide opposing cheers?

However, the Panday side has also found it necessary to put their own spin on Sunday’s rally, repeatedly claiming that 25,000 persons showed up. In fact, there were under 10,000 people there — a figure which makes up only the UNC’s traditional hardcore support. But the party cannot win a general election on that base alone. However, non-fanatic voters will remain turned off by Mr Panday’s corruption charges, as well as Jack Warner’s matter in breaching FIFA’s Code of Ethics, and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj’s two-faced reputation. With 41 seats to contest in the next election, ethnic sentiments and PNM incompetence may not be sufficient to carry the UNC day.