By Vijay RAM

Paul Bérenger is at it again. When he sees things not going his way, he threatens. He blackmails. How many a time have we not witnessed this soap opera!

Those who have lived the organisational life of the MMM would recognise it instantly. The tantrums of the younger politician of yester years may very easily be confused with dictatorial trend. Its implosion has even worse effects when the other partner is no longer some ?groupuscules? or ?tendances? of his own party, but a political party, independent in organisation, strategy and ideology. The leader of the MMM will have to come to terms with the fact that the MSM and its leadership are not part of his ?assemblée des délégués? and cannot be treated as such.

Should the MSM as a party decide to rally their supporters for May Day at a venue of their own and not jointly with the MMM, demonstrates clearly the will of that party to open up to that part of the electorate that the MSM-MMM alliance could not reach during the past campaign. In what way does the question the legitimacy of a common parliamentary strategy, so far unchallenged, where Mr Bérenger carries on as Leader of the Opposition? But no! ?If I don?t get what I want, I?ll resign?. Haven?t we heard it before!

And this argument that the possible retreat of the PMSD from the opposition bench will leave the MMM with a minority of 10 as against 12 of the MSM? Don?t be pathetic! That?s crawling for justification and it is very unlike Mr Bérenger. We still remember 1994, when Mr Bérenger very kindly offered Navin Ramgoolam the post of Leader of the Opposition when the latter had only 3 MLA?s as against his 17. There was no question of legitimacy then. There was certainly a strategy for the conquest of power. Is Ashock Jugnauth being tailored to fit the same kind of strategy?

Whatever the demagogies of past, present and maybe future electoral campaigns, it is blatantly unjust and unfair to claim that Mr Bérenger represents the economic interests of the ruling classes. The history of his political engagement proves the contrary. But facts and perceptions are not synonymous. And that?s where the success of the campaign of the l?Alliance sociale got all its significance. They could very intelligently exploit the coincidence between race and class and the more so when a prospective prime minister happens to be White. Navin Ramgoolam knows that. And Paul Bérenger too. So does Pravind Jugnauth!

So what?s the panic when the latter tries to rather address the perception? For any future alliance, it is the way the configuration is presented as to who would be in the driving seat, would determine between victory and defeat.

Is Pravind Jugnauth being a mere sting in Bérenger?s short term decisions or does he represent a substantive threat in the longer term strategy of a post-Bérenger MMM?

These years of political activities outside Parliament concentrating in the consolidation of his party structures and responding to his electorate, may be very determinant in the development of this very young leader.

Has Mr Bérenger already seen the potential strength of character of SAJ in young Pravind?