BY SAVITRI SOOKRAJ, Guardian TT

Political leader of the UNC Basdeo Panday said yesterday members will have an opportunity to make their views known about his leadership when the party’s election is held later this year.

His comment was in response to a mid-January NACTA poll that stated many UNC supporters wished to see him step down as leader.

The survey also found that while a majority of UNC supporters want Panday to leave politics, many traditional PNM supporters (a larger number than UNC supporters) want Panday to remain because they saw his leadership as an asset for the PNM.

Asked his view on this, Panday repeated: “As I said, when the election is held, the party will have an opportunity to make known its views. That’s democracy.”

As for the poll’s finding that supporters feel Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath or Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal would make a more effective party whip than Caroni East MP Ganga Singh, Panday said he did not allow other people to run his party and certainly has never allowed polls to do so.
“They have to contend with my decision,” he said.