NEW interim Congress of the People (COP) political leader Prakash Ramadhar says the party must become stronger before it considers joining any coalition to contest the next general election.
He also said any proper coalition must built on trust and could not work if it was a marriage of political convenience to benefit some at the expense of others.
Ramadhar, who was elected COP leader in 2011 but resigned in 2016, made those comments on December 20 as he spoke about his decision to re-enter electoral politics.
He was appointed interim leader on December 9 after then interim leader Kirt Sinnette resigned.
Sinnette had been leader since 2020 when then leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan resigned.
Ramadhar said the COP had not had internal elections for any post on its national executive for many years.
"When I demitted office it was on the basis that the party was to go into gear to have an election for leader and (an executive)."
He recalled that infighting in the COP prevented that from happening.
Ramadhar said Sinette asked him to return and he was appointed deputy leader.
"It was not the best possible way but it was the only way for me to get back involved at that level because we do need now all hands on deck to first of all fix COP, to put it back on its feet."
Ramadhar repeated the COP had always been about uniting divergent political forces.
"We are about that. Bringing people together and solving problems."
Ramadhar said COP founder Winston Dookeran was pleased he was back as acting leader.
"Only when we are in a better shape and form, then we will be able to contribute better to other forces who have the same ambitions."
COP has not pledged yet allegiance to either a coalition it has been discussing with the National Transformation Alliance (NTA) and HOPE (Honesty Opportunity Performance Empowerment) or a separate coalition which the UNC is attempting to form.
Ramadhar repeated his first priority is strengthening the COP.
He said the party has learnt from the past with respect to the failures in the former People's Partnership (PP) coalition that it was a member of from 2010-2015.
"Now is not the time for personal ambitions to trump the future of this nation."
Ramadhar said, "Before you want to partner with anybody, make sure you are in good form. That is what I am about now."
He believed there were good and bad people across the political spectrum.
Asked about NTA leader Gary Griffith's view that UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is forming a coalition to help the UNC get back into government and whether Persad-Bissessar had learnt from the mistakes of the PP, Ramadhar said, "I cannot speak for anyone except from my experience."
He recalled that as prime minister, Persad-Bissessar would ask if certain things would help the people.
"If the answer was yes, she would say proceed."
While everyone is entitled to their views, Ramadhar said, "You cannot work or expect to go into a relationship with anyone with accusations as your plot line."
Only with a level of trus
