Africa-Press – Mauritius. It seems that according to the general opinion, following the first congress of the PTr-MMM-PMSD alliance in Mare d’Albert last Friday, there is today a strong opposition and potentially capable of turning the tide.
This is probably the message that its leaders wanted to convey to the electorate in general. Did they succeed in their bet, in your opinion? Rabin Bhujun: Navin Ramgoolam, Paul Bérenger and especially Xavier Duval did not have much choice.
They had to conclude the alliance now, because the will of the leader of the PMSD to ally with the reds and the mauves was the subject of too much speculation in the opposition as well as in the government.
The climate between Duval and Bérenger was not looking good; moreover, he sometimes still remains tense. Ramgoolam assumed his responsibilities. He played peacemaker and almost forced the covenant to come to fruition.
At the same time, he sent a clear signal to the general public and especially to the MSM: Duval does not seek – or no longer – to see if the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.
The alliance concluded, it had become essential to project oneself on the ground by immediately beating the countryside. Choosing to start at Mare d’Albert was a good decision.
Organizing a congress in a less sensitive and symbolic region than St-Pierre, Flacq, Triolet or Vacoas, for example, allowed the three parties to develop their logistical means and give their infantrymen the opportunity to work together.
The first mobilization is successful: the supporters of the three formations gathered in a jovial atmosphere from which transpired a certain desire to drive Pravind Jugnauth out of power.
* It is probably a success that calls for others, and which should ensure the sustainability of this alliance, especially since the PTr and the MMM really have no other option but to maintain their alliance until end, right?
The PTr-MMM-PMSD alliance is potentially one year, or even almost 18 months, from the next legislative elections. Given the urgency of concluding the alliance, a few important elements were not subject to final arbitration.
The elephants of the three parties do not make much of these “details” during their media releases, but the elements they evade are far from trivial. Thus, depending on whether you are talking to one or the other, the front bench of this alliance is made up of Ramgoolam, Bérenger, Duval and then the choice of Arvin Boolell, Shakeel Mohamed or Reza Uteem.
Similarly, there was no precise indication of the number of tickets allocated to each political party. Usually, in our political tradition, it is one of the first essential pieces of information that is communicated when concluding an alliance.
I also hear the opponents of the trio say that they entered into an alliance without having discussed a program. This type of comment is quite insipid, since we know that the alliances usually publish their electoral manifestos only a few days before the election. Speaking of program, Ramgoolam already draws cheerfully from the electoral proposals of the National Alliance (PTr-PMSD) of 2019.
This block already proposed, for example, the hearing of candidates for important positions by a parliamentary committee, the vote a Freedom of Information Act or a revision of current laws to promote and protect freedom of expression, particularly in the digital field.
While waiting for Parliament to be dissolved by Jugnauth and for the date of the legislative elections to be known, the opposition alliance has no choice but to continue its mobilization by organizing meetings and congresses in the places that I have quoted before.
Faced with an MSM that does not really show any sign of feverishness, the PTr-MMM-PMSD trio wants to demonstrate that Mauritians are mobilizing alongside them in all corners of the country.
Mauritians – it should be remembered again – are however as fearful as they are opportunistic. It is not said that the non die hards will go to these rallies, for fear of being seen there or simply because they do not adhere to the red/purple/blue political offer. Waiters, a good part of the Mauritians decide, in fact, for which camp to vote at a week, even on the eve of the polls.
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