Blog: Fake Remake

After their failed attempt to attract a larger crowd at Port Louis than Labour/PMSD at Vacoas on May 1 Labour Day, the MMM/MSM alliance has found nothing better than proposing organising twenty public meetings, one in each constituency.

What new are they going to propose or talk about? They have already bored people with same old stories of law and order, corruption, character assassination at their pre-May 1 meetings in all parts of the country and at the Port Louis May 1 rally. Who believes that they have made this alliance as a remake of 2000 to save the country? They are not talking of what will spark growth, create jobs and lower prices for consumers. Nothing about innovation and entrepreneurship.

But all this is allowed in a democracy. All parties have gone through the fires of electoral politics. Unfortunately for them, as things stand today government is strongly saddled on its seat. General elections are for 2015.

The catch word ‘remake 2000’ is fake. In 2000, the MMM/MSM alliance was made once general elections were declared. Labour was sure and certain to win in a three-cornered fight. Labour did not imagine that it will have to reckon with a lot of people who rightly or wrongly had some score to settle with Navin Ramgoolam. Among them, some diehard puresang Laborites who had rallied around Harish Boodhoo.

Harish Boodhoo became the main architect of the MMM/MSM alliance. Practically all Hindu socio-cultural organisations took a public stand against Labour. They all had felt side-tracked. They always constituted Labour vote bank.

And then there was the rallying call of “mille fois Jugnauth”. MSM propaganda machinery has sold the idea that SAJ will kick out Berenger once he becomes Prime Minister. From day one SAJ had abdicated and Berenger was ruling the country and officially became Prime Minister when SAJ moved to Le Réduit as President after three years. He had hoped that Berenger will nurture his son Pravind to be PM.

All those who worked to make the 2000 alliance were disillusioned. They came back to Navin Ramgoolam bringing with them Anil Baichoo and his group. In the 2005 elections, Navin Ramgoolam defeated the 2000 MMM/MSM alliance. The alliance broke into pieces. Pravind Jugnauth suffered a personal defeat. Ashok Jugnauth created his own party and allied himself with MMM. SAJ presided over the breaking of his family and the defeat of his son.

Navin Ramgoolam saved him and his party, and renewed SAJ’s mandate as President for five years. But the Medpoint scandal termed as “scandale du siècle” by Berenger destroyed the Labour/PMSD/MSM alliance. Berenger seized the opportunity to force SAJ to resign and lead MMM/MSM alliance against Labour. Two ministers of MSM were arrested and released on bail.

Already this new alliance which was meant to bring down the government has itself suffered quite a few casualties in its ranks. Ashock Jugnauth was on Labour platform on May Day. Sunil Dowakasingh and Harish Boodhoo were in the crowd. Eric Guimbeau has broken his alliance with MMM. Jayen Cuttaree was absent in Port Louis. Celh Meeah has extended a helping hand to government. Serge Claire of Rodrigues has expressed his satisfaction with government program. MMM vote bank is not happy with their leaders’ decisions to make the alliance.

Some other crucial points are also being missed. First general elections are scheduled for 2015, not in a few weeks time as was the case in year 2000. In 2000, SAJ was to move to Le Réduit as President after three years. In 2015, there will be a Labour nominee as President. SAJ will be eighty five years old. In 2000 he was seventy. Those who were six year old in 2000 will vote in 2015.

The young people will have to decide who will be PM among SAJ, Berenger and Navin Ramgoolam. With whom are they going to identify themselves? Time will tell. The scheduled meetings in each constituency are meant to kill time. Berenger has also put SAJ to test. How bigger crowd he can pull at those meetings. Berenger needs at least a swing of 10% votes. Can SAJ do so to make Berenger PM? Can SAJ survive a three year campaign? Can he sell this fake remake to the public? Can he convince the public that they have come to the streets to save the country or have they not made the alliance for their own self interest? SAJ to save his son and Berenger to grab power. Tagore has said age considers youth ventures. For whom the youths will venture in 2015? For the fake remake of MMM/MSM or for Navin Ramgoolam?