After more than a week of speculation revealing tensions within the alliance between the Labour Party (PTr), the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), and the Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), efforts are being made on all fronts to ease the situation.
The long-awaited summit meeting between the three leaders, Navin Ramgoolam, Paul Bérenger, and Xavier Luc Duval, which had initially been threatened, was still scheduled for last night, April 2nd. But what has truly led to this state of discomfort?
Undoubtedly, the announcement of ticket allocations by PTr leader Navin Ramgoolam, with 35 tickets going to the reds, 17 to the MMM, and eight to the PMSD, was the trigger.
On the blue side, two figures, Adrien Duval and Alexandre Duval, were at the forefront of the revolt.
An audio message attributed to one of Xavier Luc Duval’s sons quickly circulated denouncing the number of tickets granted to the PMSD.
Furthermore, the participation of Xavier Luc Duval and his son, as well as other members of the PMSD, in a commemoration ceremony for the victims of the March 2013 floods in Port Louis, alongside members of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) and its leader Pravind Jugnauth, was widely seen as a sign that the PMSD might prefer to join the MSM rather than remain with the MMM and PTr.
The situation within the alliance is more tense than ever, with great anger expressed within the MMM, denouncing the maneuvers of the PMSD.
Reached by phone to comment on speculation that the PMSD seems to be leaning more towards the MSM, Adrien Duval insists these are unfounded rumors.
However, when asked about the number of tickets allocated to the PMSD, he does not hold back. “There was discontent regarding the eight tickets and how this announcement was made. We have made our voices heard,” he says.
The former MP for Curepipe/Midlands also emphasizes that it is up to the PMSD leader to handle this with the other alliance leaders.
“There will be a meeting tomorrow (editor’s note: this Wednesday, April 3rd) and we are confident that we will be able to reach a better agreement,” he adds, noting that the PMSD has a strong voter base in several constituencies nationwide and cannot afford to abandon members of this electorate, particularly in constituency No. 3 (Port Louis Maritime/Port Louis East).
This situation is closely watched on the political stage, both within the opposition and the government, hoping to win over the PMSD at the last minute.
On the blue side, this situation does not seem to please everyone. It is reported that two PMSD MPs are prepared to stay with the PTr and the MMM if the PMSD were to indeed finalize an agreement with the MSM.
Source: Defi Media
