…Dr Vindhya backed Nandlall, but forced out of contest over insufficient support

CENTRAL Committee member, Dr Vindhya Persaud, said she backed Anil Nandlall at the PPP’s just-concluded presidential candidate contest and added that she withdrew her candidacy due to insufficient support by the 35-member committee.

Rank and file members of the PPP have voiced their disapproval of Irfaan Ali being chosen ahead of the likes of Nandlall, Gail Teixeira and Dr Frank Anthony. Ali’s election was catapulted by General Secretary of the party, Bharrat Jagdeo.

In a Facebook post, Dr Persaud, who is also a Member of Parliament, noted that she has been bombarded by questions about her withdrawal from the PPP presidential candidacy on the day of voting. Both Teixeira and Dr Anthony had also withdrawn their support leaving Ali and Nandlall in the race. “I was encouraged by many, many persons to be part of the PPP presidential candidacy process. I participated fully in that process; presenting my vision for Guyana and being questioned intensively,” Dr Persaud said in her post.

She added: “I withdrew on the day of voting on account of insufficient support for me among the 35-member central committee and supported Anil Nandlall in the ensuing two-man race. Dr. Frank Anthony and Gail Teixeira had also withdrawn.”

“I wish to thank all those who sent messages, calls and expressions of encouragement to me before and after the process. I am touched and humbled by the outpouring of support. I remain committed to working for a better Guyana,” Dr Persaud said.

On Saturday Dr. Persaud had told reporters said she withdrew because of many factors which she did not want to get into. It is widely believed that Ali was handpicked by Jagdeo who later got the majority of the central committee to rubber-stamp his choice. In fact the Demerara Waves quoted Jagdeo at a meeting on Sunday saying that he toiled for the 38-year old man to lead their party into the next general elections.

“In this period I work to make Irfan Ali a more successful president, so what’s wrong with that? He is my friend and he is a member of the party, a longstanding and a valuable member of the party. All my skills, every single bit of it will be at his disposal for Guyana and for the future of all of our people and I don’t have any apology to make for that, no apology whatsoever,” he said.

Ali beat Nandlall 24-11. Nandlall, in offering brief comments, said he was disappointed that he lost. “Naturally, I am disappointed. You don’t ever enter a contest thinking that you will not win. I thought that I would have won but the central committee of the party did not feel that way. They obviously voted in favour of Comrade Irfaan,” he said.

SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH
On Saturday, supporters of the PPP took to Facebook to express outrage over the selection Ali and some had even called on him to step down, contending that his ‘baggage’ will ‘sink’ the party’s chances of winning the upcoming General and Regional Elections. On popular social media platform, Naresh Singh, a known supporter of the PPP, said he no longer has faith in Guyanese politics. “Can you imagine Irfaan Ali being PPP presidential candidate???

Like damn!!! Seriously!!!” Those were the immediate thoughts of Singh as he made a bold call for Ali to step down in an effort to increase PPP’s chances of winning the elections.
In response to the Facebook post made by Singh, Jaipaul Persaud said: “Do you see what I see? This is the end of the PPP/C. I am in a state of shock. I never voted in Guyana but I feel sorry for the PPP/C supporters.”

Celrose Caravaio, a relative of the former Minister of Local Government under the PPP regime, Norman Whittaker, questioned why Ali was elected over former Culture and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and other candidates who have cleaner slates. “So many of us PPP/C supporters were feeling a sense of optimism at an early election, even none supporters who were willing to support us. But now you drop this Bomb! Irfaan Ali??? Seriously??? The bad outweighs the good when it comes to this individual and to use your supporters desperation for a change from the government by making Irfaan their alternative choice is just sick to me!” she wrote.

Caravaio is demanding that the central committee of the PPP tells its supporters why Ali was elected over the other four candidates, mainly Dr Anthony. “I am thoroughly disappointed in this decision by the PPP/C and I am sure I’m not the only one,” she said while calling on the party’s executive to listen to the cries of the people.
Another supporter, Henry Singh said “It’s sacrilegious to have Irfaan Ali in any form of leadership position,” as he described the presidential candidate as “unqualified, immoral and venal”.

It is Singh’s belief that Ali should have withdrawn from the inception because of the baggage he carries, and give Nandlall a chance. “Irfaan will be the delight of the coalition. PPP is risking too many defections and the abstaining with Irfaan. But (Bharrat) Jagdeo’s importance, ubiquity and relevance depend on Irfaan. The two have a catamaitish attachment,” Singh contended. Like Singh, Simone Lochan said it was Nandlall who should have been elected to contest the elections on the PPP’s behalf.

“Anil Nandlall would have been the better choice, he’s actually qualified and when he became a MP, he came as a successful lawyer. He didn’t have any get-rich-quick plans like this larger unit did when he was minister of housing.