Pravind Jugnauth wants Labour PMSD MPs to quit too

The leader of Mouvement Socialiste Militant (MSM) Pravind Jugnauth challenged the Prime Minister and asked all the members of the government alliance to resign.

Surrounded by party members and former ministers, Jugnauth held a press meet at the Sun Trust building in Port Louis on Thursday.

He said that only then will MSM MPs resign to fight it out in the elections.

He challenged Dr Navin Ramgoolam and urged all MPs belonging to the Labour Party and PMSD to resign “since the Labour Party was voted to power with the votes of the MSM as well”. Only then, he said, the MSM parliamentarians will table their resignation.

“If Ramgoolam is still PM, it is because of the MSM. However, I am honest and recognise that we were also elected with the vote bank of the Labour Party and PMSD,” said Jugnauth.

The MSM leader explained that they were in the government for one year and the MMM was in the government with the Labour Party for two years from 1995 to 1997. The reasons for the split in alliance remain the same.

He explained, “Both times there was an indecision on Ramgoolam’s part as well as hijacking of the government. No respect or consideration was shown for the partners.”

Jugnauth said that the PM is right when he speaks of two different political cultures. “The Labour Party has a culture of greed, jobs for the boys and abuse of institutions while the MSM has always worked for the economic interest of the population,” he said. “People will be shocked to know what happened to projects such as Bel Ombre and Tian li.”

He explained that despite the MSM members resigning as government members, they remained loyal to the alliance.

“I met the Prime Minister and gave him the opportunity to correct the problem faced by the MSM and perpetuated by his MPs Neeta Deerpalsing and Suren Dayal. However, he did nothing and I hold him responsible for the split,” said Jugnauth.

The MSM leader also reacted to Ramgoolam’s statement on Saturday. The PM had said that the MSM has tarnished the country’s image. Jugnauth countered, “The PM is speaking of principles but he seems to have forgotten that Labour Party had poached Anil Bachoo, Mookhesswur Choonee, Dr Jyaneshwur Jhurry and Dr Parmessur Ramloll from MSM-MMM government.”

“The PM alleged that I was asking for the post of deputy prime minister as well as the post of no 3, which is occupied by Xavier-Luc Duval. This is a lie,” he said.

He refuted the PM’s allegations that he didn’t want Raju Jadoo to be nominated because his father Ramduth Jaddoo was an MMM member. Jugnauth said, “Ramgoolam himself told me that Jaddoo is close to Sithanen and cannot be trusted.”