A former councillor who won the Vistabella South seat on a United National Congress (UNC) ticket in the last local elections, has switched allegiance to the People’s National Movement (PNM).

Marcus Girdharrie, who sat on the San Fernando City Corporation, and is the managing director at Marjen Financial Group, is the third UNC councillor to defect to the PNM within the last few weeks.

Sheldon “Fish” Garcia, the lone UNC councillor in the PNM-controlled Arima Borough Corporation, who won the seat for the UNC in the 2021 by-election for Arima Central, had been reportedly functioning as an independent for some time. He officially resigned his position about two weeks ago. Former councillor for Warrenville/Kelly Village Samuel Sankar has also resigned from the party. The Prime Minister welcomed both of them into the PNM family during a public meeting in Malabar on Thursday.

Top PNM sources confirmed that Girdharrie has not only resigned, but has already filed nomination papers to contest the Vistabella South seat for the PNM. Screenings for the San Fernando city, Point Fortin borough and Siparia regional corporations are slated for next week at the PNM’s San Fernando East office.

Sources said they are also talking to a second UNC councillor who has expressed interest in crossing over to the PNM.

When contacted on Saturday, Girdharrie said he was not at liberty to speak.

“I choose not to comment at this time,” he told Sunday Newsday

As the battle for the 14 corporations begin with the ruling of the Privy Council that the extension of local government councils was illegal, bold moves are being made by the two dominant parties to secure the majority of votes.

San Fernando is a critical battleground, as the PNM seeks to regain ground lost when in the last election the UNC moved from one seat to three on the city council.

UNC PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo told Sunday Newsday his party remains confident that they will not only maintain their numbers on the nine-seat council, but increase, gain control and install a UNC mayor.

“We have an extremely vibrant support base and we are extremely confident of winning the San Fernando City Corporation whenever local government elections are called.”

He said former members are free to do as they wish.

“This is a democratic country. Everyone has the right to political association. What people have to remember is that when they won their seats, they represented the UNC party.

“People voted for the UNC. It is the UNC brand that won the seat. We are grateful for the representation at the time, but it’s the UNC brand, the UNC party, the UNC value and our new candidates would definitely carry those values.”

Meighoo added that people will judge for themselves and vote accordingly for or against those who jumped ship.

“The PNM has a way of picking up our rejects and thinking it’s some kind of victory. We have some amazing nominees and we are moving ahead.”

He said the UNC began screening potential candidates since last year and the exercise is continuing as they await