People paid to boo Dookeran

At the party’s rally at Mid-Centre Mall in Chaguanas, a reportedly large crowd gave a rousing welcome to former UNC deputy political leader, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, but roundly booed Dookeran.

"I know people were paid to boo him," Montano disclosed yesterday. "I know who was behind it, and why. And I know the thugs who were paid to boo Mr Dookeran.

"And the booing of the party’s leader was as silly as it was predictable," he added. And, contrary to the general perception that a massive crowd turned out to welcome Maharaj back into the UNC fold, Montano said the rally was a failure since it did not have middle-class support.

"It comprised straight grassroot support, and it numbered only about 10,000," he claimed. The former senator explained what was wrong with having only grassroot support at a political rally.

"It can give a very false impression," he noted. "The grassroot will give ten or 12 seats, but will not win the election."

Sunday’s rally, Montano concluded, showed that the UNC is retreating into its base.

"The rally has been billed as a unity rally, one to expand the party’s base," he recalled. "But what we saw on Sunday was just the UNC heartland coming out. And this shows that it is not a party in growth, but one that is shrinking.

"And, if the UNC is incapable of reaching further than the heartland, it is in trouble," Montano remarked.