IN a stunning political manoeuvre, Acting Prime Minister Stuart Young has entered the heartland and religious frontier of the United National Congress (UNC).
Young openly courted estranged Chaguanas West Member of Parliament Dinesh Rambally on his home turf and had lengthy dialogue with the leadership of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), which is also alienated from the UNC.
The political foray took place at the SDMS’ Hindu Temple on Munroe Road, in the nerve centre of the Chaguanas West constituency.
Young, accompanied by Government officials who are People’s National Movement (PNM) colleagues, took part in the Hindu observance of Ganesh Utsav.
Ganesh Utsav is an annual festival that commemorates the birthday of Hindu deity Ganesha.
Celebrations include singing of bhajans (religious songs).
The UNC is inherently linked to Hindu festivals.
Several of the party’s senior operatives participated in Ganesh Utsav functions in various parts of the country.
The appearance of Young at the Munroe Road temple was a momentous occasion for a national leader aligned to the PNM.
Young was warmly welcomed, garlanded and spent long periods in animated conversation with Pundit Rampersad Parasram, Dharmacharya (Spiritual Head) of the SDMS.
The Acting Prime Minister was accompanied by Rohan Sinanan, Minister of Works and Transport and a Deputy Political Leader of PNM.
Richi Sookhai, a Junior Minister in the Works and Transport Ministry and the PNM’s candidate for Chaguanas East in the upcoming general election, was at the religious event.
Avinash Singh, Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, also attended.
Rambally, who is also a Hindu pundit, is at sharp odds with the UNC’s leadership and was one of five opposition parliamentarians recently shunted by party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
The PNM is aggressively targeting UNC strongholds and seeking to exploit its fractures and conflicts.
There is a current rift between the UNC and SDMS, the country’s largest Hindu organisation.
Young, who is enjoying an extended stint as Acting Prime Minister, is involved in widespread political canvassing within the ruling PNM and with targeted organisations and individuals.
Speakers at the Ganesh Utsav event hailed his attendance.
