Although the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) leader, Pravind Jugnauth, considered they were just ?rumours from the press?, he did however find it necessary to organise an ?extended central committee,? last Saturday. More than a sign that the party had found it useful to mobilise its troops, this gathering was an opportunity to show the ?insubordinates? with smiles on their faces.

In spite of appearances, something seemed rotten in the government alliance party. ?I have heard that some people intend to join the New Labour. I just have to say good luck to them.? This sentence thrown by Pravind Jugnauth at his audience was curt and didn?t allow any other interpretation. Though he strove to say that there was no problem between the minister of Public infrastructure, Anil Bachoo, and his party, reality looked somewhat different.

The fact that the MSM leader announced that Anil Bachoo would hold a press conference this week to shed light on the confused situation appeared as a trap laid by Pravind Jugnauth for some of the persons present. Some of them went even further, ?Bachoo is stuck. If he holds a press conference to announce that everything?s got back to normal, he is likely to offend Ramgoolam. This is why he wanted to wait for Maha Shivahatree. But the MSM leader has decided to take things in hand.?

As Anil Bachoo finally announced that he would hold the said press conference, Pravind Jugnauth had put him in a situation where he could not backtrack after saying that everything was fine.

The situation was made even more tense when another MSM MP, Megduth Chumroo, confirmed the fact that there were dissensions within the party. Absent from Saturday?s meeting ? he was in Rodrigues with a delegation of the Public Accounts Committee ? he expressed his frustration to l?express when he came back on Sunday.

He added that he had tried to talk to the party leaders, who seemed not to have found it useful to listen to him. As a result, he announced his intention of resigning within the coming fortnight. He, however, declined to give names of other ?disappointed? members but he assured that many others felt the same way.

Anil Bachoo?s absence at the annual dinner of his party was already an indication of discontent. The fact that his leader had not met him had worsened an already tense situation between them. His popularity with voters ? particularly in rural regions ? clashed with the little importance his party seemed to give him. As a bigwig of the MSM, he could have felt humiliated by Sir Anerood Jugnauth?s son. But the question was: would he feel more comfortable with Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam?s son?

The least that could be said was that he would bring a lot of votes to whichever party he sided with. Losing a candidate who benefits from such popularity in rural regions could sound the death knell for the MSM. The more so, since the Labour party already boasts of having a head-start in these regions.

But would the ruling alliance take the risk of losing such a candidate, who might be followed by others?

The return of the prime minister, Paul Bérenger, from China seems to have played some part in easing tension. He had met Anil Bachoo before leaving and had promised to meet him again on his return. The presence of minister Bachoo last night with the PM and the DPM at an official event seems to confirm that they are on the way to making up? The PM has always had good relations with the minister and he certainly knows the potential consequences of the latter?s resignation?

Pauline ETIENNE

The presence of minister Bachoo last night with the PM and the DPM at an official event seems to confirm that they are on the way to making up?