She won?t let herself be persuaded. The former chairperson of the Tourism Authority, Vijaya Samputh, is making the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) leaders? lives hell. After the MSM issued a communiqué stating that she had been expelled from the party because of gross indiscipline, has challenged Pravind Jugnauth to bring up evidence that she has committed an ?offence?.

The MSM said that a special meeting with members of the political bureau was convened after Vijaya Samputh had publicly criticised the leaders. They say they have records proving that she ?said a certain number of things? on the party leaders. Pravind Jugnauth said he would be inflexible about any case of indiscipline.

However, the expelled member refuses to accept such a verdict and wants the party to prove publicly that she committed an offence. She held a press conference where she conceded she had made comments on some members of the party but ?like any other member has done and these comments were made on specific cases as Pravind Jugnauth said.? While Vijaya Sumputh is sure that the leader doesn?t have any evidence against her, the party said she left before they could show her the evidence.

The only member who openly showed he was against the MSM decision was Anil Gayan. He did not give his vote when the bureau voted for her dismissal. His future within the party might be brought into question as well. Vijaya Samputh also said she might constitute a new MSM wing with ?several? disappointed members of the party.